jci63 Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Sick deer on banquet menu THE ASSOCIATED PRESS April 6, 2005 VERONA, N.Y. - A white-tailed deer recently diagnosed with chronic wasting disease was eaten by as many as 350 people at a sportsmen's dinner last month, a health department official said. Oneida County officials did not discover that the animal was infected with the neurological illness until about two weeks after the Verona Fire Department's Annual Sportsmen's Feast on March 13. The venison was served as steak, chili, stew, sausage and meat patties. After the animal was slaughtered, the head was sent for required testing to state labs, where the disease was diagnosed. Ken Fanelli, spokesman for the Oneida County Health Department, said the deer "showed no sign of sickness" when it was donated. He said people who ate the venison do not need to worry about contracting the disease, but urged them to contact state or local health officials. "There's no indication whatsoever that the disease has been linked to human illness of any kind," Fanelli said. The disease was first discovered in New York last week in two white-tailed deer that had been part of captive herds in Oneida County, east of Syracuse. The second positive case was discovered in a small herd that had taken in animals from the herd that yielded the initial confirmed case, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. The owners were John Palmer and Martin Proper, both of Westmoreland, and the agency asked anyone who exchanged live animals or venison with them to call the Division of Animal Industry. The agency said deer from both herds will be destroyed and tested. Six other herds that may have come into contact with the diseased herds are in quarantine. The Department of Environmental Conservation will also begin testing wild deer, a spokesman said. Chronic wasting disease is a degenerative neurological illness that is deadly to some deer and elk species. The condition has been detected in wild and captive deer and elk populations in 12 states in the West and Midwest. Symptoms include weight loss, stumbling, tremors, lack of coordination and listlessness. But while health officials insist consumption of sickened deer poses no risk to people, some area hunters said they were troubled by the discovery. "It's like the 'mad cow' disease of deer," said Jim Edic, a hunter from Westmoreland, who did not attend the banquet in Verona. "It's kind of scary." It concerns me, but it's been out West for quite a few years."The state agencies will hold a public meeting on Friday night to detail their response efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge4x4 Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! no, that's not good. wow! that is, that is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! I hope they are fined BIG for bringing this disease into our state. Ranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! I would be pretty upset just knowing I ate meat off a deseased animal too_pointer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshM Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! Wow that very not good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gobblergetter15 Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! That sucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAbowhunter4life Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! Well, supposedly CWD doesn't effect humans at all, so they should still be safe. However the Govt. claims agent orange had no adverse effects on people in Vietnam, yet it turned forests black in 30 seconds. Regardless of harmful or not, that is still messed up that the disease was served adn the tainted meat somehow passed under the radar of all involved with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut_Buster Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! I bet that disease can be found throught the united states. Prolly just something a few deer every year get and no more. just my 2 cents. When i see deer cronicaly wasted and stumbleing over themselves then I'll be concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! That is pretty bad. Hope all those people aregoing to be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! Just to keep things in perspective CWD hasnt ever been proven to affect humans who eat meat from animals infected with it.Id be willing to bet thiers a lotta venison eaten every year that comes from deer infected with it.Its been around since the 70s in Colorado and only started getting notional attention in recent years when it started spreading east.Thats 30 years without anyone showing signs of contracting the desiase.It centers in the brain and spinal fluid, not in the meat itself.Theres millions of deer killed and eaten every year that are never tested for it, like the artical said, if they dont act sick who gives any thought to eating them?States where CWD has shown up havent banned the eating of deer, theyve actually went the other way and encourage people to kill more of them.While eating a deer thats tested positive might not sound real apealing, odds are some of us in here might have already and not even have realized it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! I probably have eaten more than I care to know...whats the big deal?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6sixpoint_nobrows Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! wow, that sounds pretty sick hearing about it, did anybody get sick from it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Sauceman Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 2005 Re: THIS IS NOT GOOD! Yup. Until a human comes down with the disease, then I will get worried..and like was already said, I have most likely eaten some tainted meat in my life so far and will most likely do it again without knowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.