Test your knowledge on line.

Do you have a safety plan? your emergency kit?

www.securitecivile.gouv.qc.ca (in French)

Check the federal government Get Prepared website:

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/knw/kt/kt-eng.aspx (copy to your brower).

For more information : Paul Robitaille, Directeur des incendies.   incendies@municipalite.austin.qc.ca

New telephone number for the sports chalet: 819.843.7179

The operation to sterilize male and female animals is routine surgery and virtually risk-free. It is the one sure way to control the pet population and save unwanted and abandoned pets from death. Cats and dogs have a very high reproduction rate, and begin their reproductive life at an early age.

The population pyramid for cats tells the tale. The female can have two or three litters a year, and produce, conservatively, 12 kittens, who can go on that same year to reproduce.

In addition to avoiding the euthanization of millions of unwanted cats and dogs, sterilization is useful to both you and your pet because it eliminates undesirable behaviour and promotes a longer, healthier life. Our cats and dogs depend on us, and we are responsible for limiting the number of unwanted offspring they produce, not to mention limiting their impact on wildlife, on the neighbours’ gardens and on neighbourly relations. A good place to start is by having them spayed or neutered!

Speak to your vet, or contact the Clinique de stérilisation des petits animaux de l’Estrie in Shebrooke. They can spay or neuter your pet at a reasonable cost, by appointment, Monday to Friday Tel.: 819.821-1151.

There is also a monthly spay clinic for cats. For more information, please call the Frontier Animal Society: 819.876.7785 or email: info@frontieranimalsociety.ca

The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune reminds you that it is against the law to allow a dog to run loose in an area where big game is found. The Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife permit s a wildlife conservation agent to shoot a dog on the spot that is found in such a situation, and fine the owner or keeper from $250 to $750 for a first offence.

Even a well-behaved dog allowed to run loose may become a dangerous predator, especially for deer. In the winter, deer are especially vulnerable because of the cold, depth of the snow cover, lack of food and the fact that they are using up their stored fat.

When deer are pursued by dogs, they may take risks which often result in death; they may fall through the ice or try to escape on the icy surface of a lake or be caught in deep snow outside their trails. Regardless of how long the chase lasts, it often ends in the deer dying of stress-induced exhaustion.

What can you do?
• Supervise your dog when it is outdoors.
• Limit the dog’s territory by keeping it tied up or in a run, especially in the winter and spring.
• When you go into the woods with your dog, keep it on a leash.
• Never leave your dog on his own outdoors.
• If you plan to leave your house for a few days, leave your dog with a responsible person or at a kennel where it can be properly looked after.

The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune ask dog-owners and the general population for their cooperation, to help the deer survive the critical winter months.

If you see a dog or dogs running loose in an area where there are deer or other big game, please call S.O.S. Braconnage, at 1 800 463-2191 or the nearest wildlife protection office.

Direction de la protection de la faune de l'Estrie
770, rue Goretti
Sherbrooke (Québec) J1E 3H4
Téléphone : 819 820-3883
Télécopieur : 819 820-3958
Courriel : estrie.faune@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca

Direction de la protection de la faune
de l'Estrie, de Montréal et de la Montérégie
201, place Charles-Le Moyne
Bureau 4.03
Longueuil (Québec) J4K 2T5
Téléphone : 450 928-7608
Télécopieur : 450 928-7625
Courriel : estrie.faune@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca

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Austin's firemen will start vising residences the first week of May as part of their fire prevention activities.

All houses in the municipality will be visited over a period of 5 years. The purpose of the visits is to identify fire hazards in the home. Medium, high or very high risks (including businesses, farms, etc.), are visitd by a fire prevention technician. They will have photo identification to show you when they come to your house. If you are not home, they will leave a notice asking you to call and make an appointment for a return visit. Note that this visit is required as part of the regional fire protection plan.

For more information, please call Paul Robitaille at 819.843.7661 or 819.847.1943, ext. 224, or send an email to him: incendies@municipalite.qc.ca

For more information : M. Paul Robitaille, directeur des incendies   

Attention: Deer on roads and highways!
A number of deer have been killed on roads in Austin in the last few weeks as they are moving about to find food. They often jump suddenly onto the road, often in groups of two or three, and are particularly difficult to see in the early morning and late afternoon. This will be the case until early May. A collision with a deer could cause serious damage to your car and personal injuries as well. Please, be careful and slow down!

This is a fungal disease that appears in rainy springs. Toward the end of spring and the beginning of summer, pale yellowish or greenish spots appear on the upper side of the leaves. In mid-summer these spots become black and tarry looking. A severe infection may cause a premature leaf drop. The damage is mainly aethetic; it rarely threatens the life of the tree, although it may weaken the tree if the disease returns frequently.

Control of the disease:
• Rake up and get rid of infected leaves that have fallen to prevent new infections.
• Don’t put infected leaves in household compost because the compost pile does not get hot enough to destroy the spores of the fungus.
• Put leaves in the special leaf pick-up (for bagged leaves only) on November 2. The high temperatures of industrial composting make it possible to eliminate the fungus.

Chemical control:
In Canada, no pesticide is certified by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency against tar spots on maples.

For more information, visit the site of the Botanical Gardens, Montreal or the
Ontario Ministry of Food, Agricultural, Food & Rural Affairs,
insertng one of the following links:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/hortmatt/2003/23hrt03a7.htm

http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin2/voirRavageurEN.do?idMaladie=49

To report a rabid animal: 1 877 644-4545

The Quebec government is spreading bait with rabies vaccine across the Estrie region, to reinforce immunization among the population of raccoons, skunks and foxes. Depending on the territory, this will be done by plane or by hand. Mainly wooded and agro-forestry zones are being targeted.

The vaccination bait is for wild animals, so you should not handle it, even though it does not present any risk for people, pets or the environment. Should you come in contact with it, call the number that appears on the bait or call 8-1-1 to reach Info-Santé.

We also advise that at no time should you approach animals, wild or domestic, you do not know.

You should also
- wash any wounds with lots of soap and water for 10 minutes if you are bitten by a animal, and you should call Info-Santé;
- have your own animals that go outdoors, particularly cats and dogs, vaccinated by your veterinarian;
- and make sure that outdoor garbage pails are stored well out of reach of animals.

Please call to report about any raccoons, skunks or foxes that appear to be disoriented, unusually aggressive, or are paralyzed or dead.

Tel. Services Québec: 1 877 644-4545
or fill in the online report form on the website:

www.rageduratonlaveur.gouv.qc.ca

For more information about rabies, or this operation, visit the site or call 418 627-8609 ext. 3048.

if you are witness to an act of poaching or harm to wildlife, report it to the wildlife protection agents at S.O.S. Braconnage:

* email: centralesos@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca
* telephone: 1 800 463-2191.

For more information, check the website of the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Quebecers are being asked to help in the monitoring efforts for avian or bird flu. Please advise Services Québec of any dead or sick birds, by calling 1 877 644-4545.

A leaflet dealing with the shoreline and the banks is now available in PDF format. Go to Municipal information / Document centre / Environment to download it. You will also find information about maintaining your septic system. Copies of this leaflet are also available at the town hall, along with guides to renaturalizing the shore and river banks. Please contact Syephen Nicholson at the municipality for more information.

HOUSEHOLD WASTES

See the calendar for pick-up of recyclables and garbage in Services for citizens, Residual materials.

To meet our goal, and that of the Quebec government, of reducing the volume of waste materials sent to landfill and to encourage citizens to Reduce at source, Reuse and Recycle, the council has made the following changes:

Household garbage will be picked up every two weeks – in summer and in winter – alternating with the recyclables.

Thank you for doing your part to reduce garbage.

Telephone authorization required (no charge).

Please call 819.843.0000 (Between 8 am and 5 pm).

Because of the potential danger, you must notify the fire department before making an outdoor fire. If you do not, you could be liable for a fine of $20 to $200 under municipal By-law 154.

The Municipality of Austin is seeking persons from the northern part of the municipality interested in becoming volunteer firemen to allow for increased fire protection in this sector.

Anyone interested is asked to call Paul Robitaille, Fire chief, at 819.847.1943, ext. 224.or at the town hall at 819-843-2388 or to send an email to him at incendies@municipalite.austin.qc.ca