by Jason Scheer
Prairie dogs kept at the Commack pet store were potentially exposed to monkey pox, a rare disease carried by mammals. A strain of monkey pox was recently discovered in prairie dogs in Texas, where prairie dogs at the Pet Den were shipped from. Animals that were on display at the petting zoo, and that were petted by children, could have contracted the disease.
Dennis Borghese, the owner of the Pet Den, said that he has been cooperating with the Department of Health and that the likelihood of the store's prairie dogs or other animals having the disease is minimal.
"There is not a monkey pox scare," Borghese said.
He added that the prairie dogs were quarantined and kept separate from the other animals. He also said that no cases of monkey pox have been reported anywhere near New York, reducing the chances that the Pet Den's prarie dogs would have the disease.
"No one is sick; no animals are sick," he said. "From here to Illinois."
Dr. Mark Misener, of the Nassau County Health Department, agreed with Borghese's statements. The risk seems to be minimal, and he is confident that testing on the store's prairie dogs, which were euthanized July 5, will come back negative for the strain.
"We expect them to be negative," he said. "The risk is minimal to none."
Misener also said that Borghese took all the appropriate steps to ensure that if the tests do come back positive, the other animals at the store were not exposed. "He has been very responsible in protecting his animals and protecting his customers," Misener said.
The department has also issued a statement saying, "We can not say yet that the risk is zero, but we can say that the risk is sufficiently low and at this time we would not advocate canceling any parties from the Pet Den."
Joseph Pontevorvo, a library trustee who was present at the petting zoo event, said that regardless of the health department's statement, he was shocked that someone from the Pet Den didn't contact him to tell him about the situation.
"They should have notified not only us, but any facility with children or adults and let them decide whether or not to have them," he said.
Pontecorvo said that even though the risk of a person's contracting the disease is very small, the library would have taken no chances. "If they would have notified us we would have canceled the event, 100 percent," he said.
Borghese disagrees, saying he didn't have to contact clients because the health department's statement spoke for itself. "Why should I call people and cancel when the health department says I shouldn't cancel?" he said.
Susan Peterson, whose daughters, Jessica and Jennifer, were present at the event, said that she doesn't believe there is a great risk of her children's contracting the disease.
"I guess if the risk is really low, then, chances are they wouldn't get it," she said.
Symptoms of monkey pox in humans, include puss-filled lesions, constant fatigue and headaches, Misener said. He also said that humans infected with monkey pox would exhibit such symptoms within 14 days.
