Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 12:00 am
Wyoming continues to watch for tuberculosis
CHEYENNE - Wyoming health officials say the state continues to see a very low number of active cases of tuberculosis. They credit years of screening and preventative therapy for keeping the numbers low.
The Wyoming Department of Health reports that Wyoming saw an average of three reported cases of active tuberculosis a year between 2002 and 2006.
Alex Bowler is TB program manager at the state health department. He says the state has focused on finding and screening infectious TB patients and screening members of high-risk populations.
Last year Wyoming screened more than 17,000 people considered to be at increased risk of TB.
Cheyenne considers ban on dogs at sports complexes
CHEYENNE - The Cheyenne City Council is considering an ordinance that would prohibit animals from soccer and baseball fields.
The council gave preliminary approval to the ordinance on second reading Monday after amending it to allow pets in the parking lots of the complexes. The council will vote on the ordinance one more time.
Councilman Tom Segrave said dog bans are becoming more common.
"It's not new," he added. "It's not earth-shattering. But it's something that I believe is a health and safety issue."
But Mayor Jack Spiker, who opposed the ordinance, said as a responsible pet owner, he keeps his puppy on a leash. He also makes a point of carrying a bag to collect any dog waste.
"It's unfortunate that we have to do this because of some irresponsible pet owners," he added.
Spiker said he could support the ordinance if it was to keep dogs off of the fields. He doesn't want his grandchildren stepping in pet feces during soccer games. But he would like to bring his dog to watch from the sidelines.
Councilman Don Pierson said if there is a health and safety issue with pets, then dogs should be banned from city parks and the Greater Cheyenne Greenway as well. He added that the city has a leash law and if this regulation was enforced, there would probably be fewer problems with feces on the field.
"Putting more ordinances on the books is not going to solve it," he said.
Segrave said animal waste isn't the only problem, noting even dogs on leashes pick fights with other dogs and some animals aren't used to crowds or children.
Park Service warns that bears coming out of hibernation
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - Bears are coming out of hibernation at Yellowstone National Park and Park Service officials are urging visitors to take precautions.
Carcasses of bison and elk that died during the winter are a prized source of food for bears. The agency says anyone who disturbs feeding bears could be in danger.
Park regulations require people to stay at least 100 yards from black and grizzly bears at all times. People should use binoculars or other optics if they want a good look at the animals instead of walking up to them.
Several areas of Yellowstone that have a lot of bison and elk carcasses have been closed temporarily. Visitors should make sure they know the locations of bear closure areas before walking, skiing or snowshoeing in the park.