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March 21, 2012 Rabid fox found in Parker The La Paz County Health Depart- ment is reporting a fox captured off of Shea road recently has tested posi- tive for rabies. The health department and La Paz County Animal Control are urging residents and visitors to be wary of wild animals and to prac- tice precautions when camping in this area. The fox was captured Saturday, March 10, by offi cials in the vicinity of P Mountain on La Paz County land after someone called and reported an aggressive fox. The fox was submit- ted for testing and the tests came back positive for rabies. "We've had bats test positive for rabies in the past but this is our fi rst fox that has tested positive. Since this area is a popular camping spot, it's impor- tant that the public take immediate precautions in this area," said Marion Shontz, Director for the La Paz County Health Department. Rabies is easily transmitted among wild animals and unvaccinated pets. The public needs to watch for any wild animal that may be behaving strangely, such as acting aggressively, stumbling or foaming at the mouth. If such an animal is seen in the Shea road area, or anywhere in La Paz County, residents and visitors are asked to take children and pets inside and call the La Paz County Animal Control offi ce at 928-669-8774, or 928-669-2281 after hours. Rabies is not unusual among wildlife. However it's important that steps be taken to prevent exposure to the dis- ease among humans and pets. In La Paz County, rabies is most common in bats. The La Paz County Health Department makes the following recommendations to prevent the spread of rabies: Vaccinate your pets regularly. Keep children and pets away from wild www.DesertMessenger.com and strange animals. Don't try to feed, touch, or play with a wild animal. Don't allow pets to run at large. Secure garbage in containers with tight-fi tting lids, and take them out in the morning of pick up, not the night before. Coyotes and other wildlife will scavenge trash. Feed pets indoors or remove food when your pet is fi nished eating out- side. Wild animals are attracted to pet food left outdoors. Avoid contact with bats. If you fi nd a bat during daylight hours, it is most likely unhealthy and should not be touched. Keep bird-feeder areas clean, and use bird feeders that keep seed off the ground. Foxes are attracted to small animals congregating on the ground. If you fre- quently see foxes, remove all feeders. Close off crawl spaces under sheds, porches, decks and homes. Some wild- life may use these spaces to rest or to build their dens. Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. When contracted by humans, rabies is fatal unless early treatment is sought. There is no cure once symptoms develop. Immediate treatment is important to prevent the disease. If bitten by any animal, clean the wound thoroughly (for at least 10 minutes) and then contact your doctor or seek medical attention. The La Paz County Health Depart- ment and La Paz County Animal Con- trol will be working with state offi cials to determine the need for additional surveillance. Rabies information can be found online at www.cdc.gov/ra- bies or on the county health Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/La- PazCounty.HealthDepartment. Now Open in Quartzsite! WiGo Communication Computer Sales & Accessories Computer Repair Center Cell Phone Service Provider & Accessories Wireless, Keyboards, USB Cords, Data Storage, Routers, Switches, More! 395 N. Central Blvd. Open Mon-Fri. 10-5 928-927-5958 ART GUILD NEWS By Carol Brainerd Roland The Quartzsite art Guild had a very nice business meeting with 20 mem- bers attending. We discussed and voted on the new rules for our future art shows. Everything passed. Come to our meetings and you will receive a list of the rules of the Quartzsite Art Guild Guidelines regarding being a member and what you need to know to be in our shows. Next meeting we will go over the list of what exactly is allowed and what is not allowed as far as what type of paintings and sculptures they want. The next meeting will be April 5 at 6:30 on Thursday at the Senior Building. So come and give your opinion and vote. We were so pleased to have Sonia Smith teach us her egg tempura tech- nique. It made her acrylic paintings have a shimmery look and the ease in the stroking was really amazing as to how smoothly the paint fl owed Page 7 on. Plus you can scratch in highlights afterwards. Blending the colors was really fun. Sonia said the old masters used this egg yolk technique to help set their paints. Use 1 med egg yolk completely dry of the whites and mix with 2 teaspoons of water. Next meeting we are challenged to bring back a fi nished painting using this technique. Jo Stoltz is our President. Her phone is 928 951-6549 if you have any questions or have an item for discussion or an announcement call her prior to the next meeting. Experienced HANDYMAN Residential and RV Plumbing & Electrical Service & Repair. Minor Carpentry & Yard Work. All Work Guaranteed - FREE Estimates! • Qtz. Business Licensed Call Bud 928-583-3905 25th