Pennsylvania/West Virginia - A family that's been searching for a pet elk has found out what happened to him, but can't get him back.
Although West Virginia officials want to return the elk to the Richter family, but Pennsylvania officials, fearful the three-year-old elk has chronic wasting disease, say it can't be returned because it may have chronic wasting disease.
"We told them, no, they couldn't bring the animal back," said Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Samantha Krepps.
Gerald Feaser of the Pennsylvania Game Commission added “Similar to mad cow disease, animals with the chronic wasting disease act lethargic, have droopy eyes, salivate excessively and are often found near water. The injuries may also mimic rabies, so most people couldn't recognize CWD specifically.”
The worry is due to the fact Pennsylvania's neighbor states of West Virginia, Maryland, and New York have the disease in its population. While it's not known to affect people, it is capable of remaining after an animal leaves a population. Krepper states the state is “CWD-free and we really want to keep it that way,”
The elk escaped when a family friend accidentally left the gate to the pen open after recording sheep that were on the Richter's property.
Two other elk escaped, too, but one returned and the other has yet to be found.
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