Teri Vazquez, a local farm owner in East Worcester had quite the surprise when she discovered a skunk hassling her owners. It was following them around, refusing to leave them alone. At one point, it was even kicked by one of her horses. Unfazed, it went right back to its business of acting erratically around Vazquez's livestock running around their feet.

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This Was Not Pepe Le Pew

Vazquez wound up trapping the critter in a metal trash can and called her the Otsego County Health Department. She was given clearance to transport the live skunk to her vet's office where it was humanely euthanized. The Health Department retrieved the skunk's remains and delivered it to the state laboratory in Guilderland. Today, Vazquez was informed that the skunk tested positive for rabies. Her vet also ventured out to her farm where all of her animals were re-vaccinated for rabies, just to be safe.

Health Department Response

The Otsego County Health Department posted the following statement on the matter:

How to Deal With a Rabid Animal

Don't try to be Steve Irwin. Go ahead and call the experts in. The Humane Society of the United States says:

"If you see a wild animal who may be sick, contact your local animal control, veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator for help. Don't handle sick wildlife! If anyone is bitten by any wild animal, get medical advice from a doctor or health department immediately. If possible, the animal should be captured and tested for rabies. Unless you can do it without risking further bites, leave this task to animal control professionals."

 

Susquehanna SPCA Miracle Puppies

The Susquehanna SPCA helped to rescue a puppy mill female dog, a 6-year-old Siberian husky named "Candy" that was retired from breeding. Through an alliance with Furever Friends Dog Rescue of WNY, a nonprofit group in Ohio that saves retired dogs from puppy mills, the dog was being cared for at the Cooperstown shelter and being prepared for adoption. Part of that process is to spay the dog before adopting it out. A big surprise happened during the surgery - the very thin dog was found to be carrying inside her a litter of four puppies. Three of them were found to be still alive and were saved. What a miracle!

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