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A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, August 30, 2005 *Comment West Nule stili threat Despite the gooci tesvs that non Ialtoit residenî.. tave beeet diagnonsed 5 tii tise West Nule vinis titis year, regional healtit officiais warn this year's greaîest cisk cooîld arrive in the next fev sveekns. Haltin's Medical Officer of Healtit Dr. Bob Nosal says the greatest potential for people in the region te, becomne infected svjth the virus svill occur betsveen nov. and mid-to-late September. belore cooler sveather renders mosquitoes inactive. Dr. Nosal emphasiLed the importance of residents being especially vigilant about avoiding mosquito bites at this time of the year. Tips offered by Haltonîs heaith depart- ment isclude avoiding places where mosquito populations are high, taking extra precautions at dusk and daxvn whes mosquitoes are most active and wearing light-coloured clothing that reduces the amount of exposed skin. While Halton has avoided human cases of the West Nule virus for the last two years, health officiais in nearby Toronto and Peel have confirmned cases of people contracting the vinîs titis suoueoer. Dr. Nonsal believes tinese casses indicate that the risk tnt Halion resideitts is still very real. While in noost cases people ielected by the virus showv no symiptoms, others noay develop a lever, headacite, mouscle aches and rash. In rare cases, patients cao become seriouisly ilI and even die front West Nule. Titis year the virus bas already been detected in the bird population of each of Haltonîs four municipalities. Southt H-lton still seents to be the bot spot for the virus with Burlington and Olakville accounting for 1l of the 13 birds that have tested positive for West Nule. Also, a total of 15 mosquito pools in H~alton's two largest communities have tested positive for the virus. The combination of a strong healtit prevention message from Haltonîs health department and a pro-active approach 80 testing mosquitoes for West Nile and lar- viciding larger mosquito pools appears te, be working. Qu'estio)nnaitre for ail prospective future employers 0f K, Hfomolka Q: Are you 1. r have youeer ee. ~\A. Obsessed? Hud C. Nuis?th b\e [)~ . Ag otiheaOe *Our Readers Write Tleft of son'"s bike shameful and upsetting Enthuasia wasn 't beîngadvocated in letter Dear Edftor This letter ia directed to the boy who, took my son's bike August 28. Couid you please retur il? Hopefully die stoaies you tiotd the other nÀeigbbour- hoold kids are untrue anad dha tbe bike hasn't been destroyed and dumped. If the atonies are true, was it really worth it? Itis bike may bave tieant notbing to you bot it was a spectiai presnt I gave to my son luat year to0 let ham know bow proud Iam ofbhi. t'm a single parent and since my chul- dren and I bave only my income toi sup- pS0t usn the bike can't be easily replaced. Altbough toi you it was just a bike, to miy son it was bis bike and you sbould bave respected that. You may flot be reading this, but bopefuly your parents are and maybe tbey wiIl question wbere tbe yellow Sportek nVijflain' bike - or St least its patsa - came from. P.ggy Cahoon WoodWwdA .nu The Canadian Champion Box 248, 875 Main St. E., Ian Oliver Publisher Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 Neil Oliver Associate Publisher (905) 878-2341 Wendy McNah Advertising Director Editoriai Fax: 905-878-4943 Karen Smith Managing Editor Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Tim Cotes Production Manager Classified: 905-875-3300 Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Circulation: 905-878-5947 Teri Casas Office Manager The Canadien Champion. publistied eveis Tuesday and Friday ai 875 Main St. E.. Milton, Ont, L9T 3Z3 (Box 248), s rire of the Metroland Prnting. Publishing & itibting Ltd. community newspapein. Adveiing 10 accepteS on tihe condition tsat in tie eveni ni a typogiaphicat erroc, that portiotni ofte advertsing space occupied by ihe ernoneous iem, together nuSh a teasonable atiowance ion signature. nuli non 0e changed to, but the balance oi the adveiusemenl ill 0e pai for ai the applicable nate. The pblioser ieoetoeo the night io categonize adveriiements or deciune, CCAB Auditod RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY Ontario Conmoîity *C~NA Canaduan Comnunity Soboîban Nenspapens 1ý0 S Newspapers ssociaion C C]j Newopapets Association W.-M.. ni Ameîîca THE CANADIAN CHAMPION US A PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Hain Healthcarn OF MLTU ~ THENA V uira .' u waro d s T e O a k o îiie M ýi n ot a O V U Shoeas M to AL a&Te &fn Caeadhae Champion in a Reyclable Predaci ý Dear Editor: l'm writing to clarify my position tn response to a letter to the editor in the August 19 Champion regard- ing the recent attack by a Germas shepherd on a bichon frise. The letter suggested that 1 was advocating the euthanizing of the Germas shepherd. Prom my research, doge use their bites for many purposes, inciuding for play and self defense. The Champion's article described a first-hand accounit of a prey hold and head shake. This is the most senious type of bite, since if's meaast te, do serious damnage or to kilI. 'Me owner of the Germasn shep- herd didn't seeru to realize the seri- ousness of the incident or the force of the attack, describing it as just a bite and normal dog behaviour. She also didn't seem to realize that she was totally unabie 80 control ber dog without physical restraint, or that the dog's aggression wasn't justified by the situation. Prom the photograph of the injured dog. it svas apparent that the injuries sveres't merely puseture wounds that wouid have resulted froru a bite but consisted of several long gashes. Fro.m nov reseachi, these inijurics were more consistent with avulsion or tearing of the flesh that resuits froru a prey hold and head shake. Prom the story. it appeared that the attack was unprovoked and wasn't preceded by any warning display such as freezing. barring of teeth or snapping -although it difficîtît to say if the accounit was complete. The osvner seemed to justify the dog's aggression by mentioning that Emma often barked at her dog. Like biting, barking is also a saturai dog behaviour, especially for a young dog like Emma. My original letter was intetsded to draw the Germas shepherd owner's attention t0 the physicai evidence of the injuries and urge her to seek heip for the dog befote the aggres- ston escalated any further. There are many books and resources availabie to help owners understand dog behaviour and pre- vent seriotns biting. Ose suggestion ts to change to a soiid board fence or create a secure dog rut in a quiet area svhere tise pet wouidn't be frus- trated by passtng pets or people. There are many places in the area that offer dog obedience courses to treat cases of aggression. Buthanasia should be considered a iast resort in the treatruent of dog aggression. i consider euthanasia to be appropriate in caseo where a dog kilîs iivestock or other pets since there ar few' people who have the skiiis to resocialize and rehabilitate an animal once its instinctive preda- tory behaviour bas taken hold. The fact that the Germnas shep- herd didn't kili Emmna suggests that it may sot be expenienced in killing and that there's stili a chance to restrain the dog. t wouid urge the Germnas shepherd's owner to give ber dog that opportunity. Sophie Cheney Campbellville Pud by Steve Nease q