WDFW puts focus on hoof disease in SW Washington elk
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will holding a September public meeting and has launched a website to share information about reports of hoof disease among southwest Washington elk.
Elk with overgrown or missing hooves in southwest Washington sighting have increased. At times, multiple animals in a group have been reported limping and showing signs of hoof disease, such as deformed hooves or club hooves. The condition has been observed in both male and female elk.
The public information meeting will run from 6-8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 17, in the Cowlitz PUD auditorium, 961 12th Ave., in Longview. It will include a brief presentation about the elk hoof disease, followed by a question-and-answer session.
WDFW is also providing an online tool for citizens to report affected animals at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/health/hoof_rot. The site offers information on the disease, as well as the reporting tool for those who observe elk with signs of hoof disease.
According to local veterinarians, the condition does not seem to be affecting domestic livestock in the area.
