Longer Days, Brighter Nights

Most of us know that after the Winter Solstice on December 21^st the days gradually get longer and sunset becomes a little later each day, but how many of you knew that only now does the sun start to RISE earlier. If we look at the sun rise and sun set tables we will see that over the next week sunset time go from 4.48 pm to 4.43 pm but sunrise time are stuck at 7.51 !!


This is apparently due to the earths 'wobble' but irregardless of the cause its good to know that shortly the sun WILL be rising a little earlier and we are on the way to spring. Unfortunately before the sun warms us up enough to make us get the gardening itch and look for spring buds we have a few months of Canadian winter to deal with.


Here's wishing for an 'open' winter and an early spring, may 2015 be a 'sunny' year, in every sense of the word, for you and indeed for Canada and all Canadians.

Vets “Permitted” to give Rabies Shots.

According to an article in the Ontario Farmer the Collage of Veterinarians or Ontario (CVO) now PERMITS Vets to administer Rabies shots to dogs that are not '”regular clients”. Those of us who own dogs and are out in the country where rabies can be more of a problem know that the longstanding annual rabies clinics, whereby owners could have their dogs vaccinated quickly and inexpensively, have been discontinued a few years ago apparently due to the Vets or the CVO 'regulations. The article says that the vets were permitted to administer such shots at a clinic at a fire hall or “non accredited facility” but until now not at their own practice unless the dog was “a regular client” (this despite it being common practice for years).
Sounds totally bizarre to me, but now they are “permitted” to do so, whether or not this will mean the reinstatement of those regular rabies clinics which so may dog owners, who would otherwise not not bother, took their dogs to remains unclear.

Nor it is clear if those 'non regulars' will be charged for a full examination or will be able to just get their animal given the shot at nominal cost (it used to be $20 or $25) or the $150 or so that almost any Vet charges for a typical visit. I note also that the “rabies program” was downloaded from the Feds to the Province about 18 months ago but despite it being legislated that “all cats and dogs must be vaccinated against rabies by age 3 months” neither level of government (or the CVO) seems much interest in providing an inexpensive way in which to encourage owners to get this done.

I do hope that this change in the “rules” will mean that next year ALL veterinary operations (both small and large animal) will participate in a 'rabies clinic day' where owners can get this important public health program carried out at reasonable cost.