The Village of Delia welcomed its newest member to the Village Council. Dennis Thordarson was elected councillor in a recent by-election on Friday, October 19.
    Thordarson ran against Irene Arnold. Thordarson picked up the majority of the votes with 61 votes, to Arnold’s 38.
    “I’m really looking forward to it. There’s a lot we can do here,” said Thordarson.
    Thordarson’s term lasts until the municipal elections in the fall of 2013. He has some ideas for what he wants to accomplish while on the Village Council for the coming year.
    “I’d like to see if we can do a big campaign to do something about increasing our population. We’ve got one section of our sewer to finish and that’s got to be a project for next year,” said Thordarson.
    Thordarson moved to Delia four years ago. In that short time, he joined the Elks, the committee for the expansion of the campground, Communities in Bloom, became president of the Cenotaph Rejuvenation Committee, and the director of the Delia Historical Society.
    “We moved here four years ago and I found it to be one of the nicest places I have ever lived and I really enjoy the people. I thought if we wanted to stay, we had to become a part of what was going on,” said Thordarson.
    The by-election was called in August when former councillor Gord Isaac stepped down from his position due to poor health and a desire to concentrate on his recovery. Nominations were collected on September 21.
    Since Isaac stepped down, Mayor John Rogers and Councillor Jeff Collins have been alone on council. The new council with Thordarson met for the first time on Tuesday evening for their annual organizational meeting.

    The end is in sight for the quarantine that has shut down the Drumheller and District Humane Society shelter. It is estimated the building will reopen to the public in one to two weeks.
    Roughly five weeks ago, animals began exhibiting upper respiratory and stomach flu-like symptoms. In response, the shelter was quarantined and the Valley Veterinary Clinic has been treating the animals. All of the animals at the shelter have been responding well to treatment.
    “We sent away a sample [to identifiy the virus] and are waiting for the results. The animals are improving and are doing quite well. We put them in quarantine to control the infection in the shelter. I don’t want someone to take it home on their clothing and infect their animals,” said Heather Lehmann, a veterinarian with the Valley Veterinary Clinic. “I don’t think it will be long before the shelter is open.”
    There are a number of factors that can accelerate the spread of infection, such as stress, crowded conditions, drafts, dampness, dust, and mixing of different age groups.
    “When you keep animals in a contained area for a long period of time, and it can happen in a feral colony too, a virus can go around quickly and maybe mutate and do another round,” said Peggie Ginger, a volunteer with the Humane Society. “They have seasonal illnesses just like people do.”
    Every precaution is being taken to ensure the infection does not spread.
    “We can’t adopt out and we can’t let anyone in. If they come in, it could get on their clothes and they could take it home to their animals,” said Ginger. “The people who go into the shelter to work and clean, they have to be sprayed down with disinfectant before they leave the building.”
    It is not known how the virus entered the shelter. Possible explanations include a new animal brought into the shelter or even from human contact.
    “Someone could have brought it in on their clothing,” said Lehmann.
    The area where animals are brought does not have a separate ventilation system, like most larger shelters. Though the animals are separated physically, airborne pathogens are not impeded. It is hoped with funding, the areas can be separated more in the future.
    The volunteers of the Humane Society will be getting expert training and advice to help ensure the animals remain healthy in the future.
    “We’re going to have shelter health come in to teach us some procedures and give us some training on how to help the pets we have on site,” said Ginger.
    To help stop the spread of infection at home, pet owners are encouraged to wash and disinfect their hands between touching animals and vaccinate their pets.
    The Humane Society is in need of willing homes to foster animals temporarily while the quarantine remains.
    The Humane Society can be contacted at 403-823-8999 or 403-334-0894.