The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY - otsego county news, delaware county news, oneonta news, oneonta sports

Local News -

February 16, 2009

Walk your dog and live in Delhi? Cornell wants you

Researchers at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine are seeking people in the Delhi area who regularly walk their dogs and wish to be part of a study.

Tracey Farrell, Cornell University study coordinator, said the pilot study is looking for about 40 walkers and their dogs to wear pedometers, which would track their distance.

The study will begin on March 6 and 7, when the dogs and their owners will have intake appointments at the Delhi Fire Department. The owners will take a pre-study survey while the dogs receive a free checkup from Cornell veterinarians.

During the weeks of March 9, April 13 and May 11, study participants will wear pedometers to measure the usual number of steps they take each day. Participants will report steps to researchers by logging on to a project website.

The final meeting will occur on May 29 and 30, when the dogs will be examined a second time.

Mary Maley, Cornell University health educator, said the study is a spinoff of the Small Steps Program, in which 174 walkers in Stamford and Hobart participated in 2006. The goal was for each walker to walk an extra 2,000 steps a day at least three days a week.

"The idea is that walking is good for us and good for dogs, too," Farrell said Monday. "A lot of people have dogs, and we are trying to measure the health benefits using technology with the pedometers."

Bob Peet and his English setter, Bird, are a well-known pair who regularly walk the streets of Delhi.

Peet said he and Bird often walk five miles a day, and he is looking forward to taking part in the study.

Bird, who often walks off his leash, bounding ahead of Peet, was adopted from the Heart of the Catskills Humane Society in 2004.

"It's the nature of a bird dog to run ahead, but she habitually stops and looks back and she waits at every corner for me to signal her when she can cross the street," Peet said.

Peet said his long walks with Bird keep both of them in good physical shape.

Farrell said dogs must be at least 14 inches high at the top of their shoulder blades in order for the pedometers to work. She said she has already registered about 15 dogs, and many are shelter dogs.

"So far, we have a lot of mixes taking part, and a lot of them are Labrador mixes," Farrell said. "We are hoping that we may be able to say at the end of the survey that people who walk their dogs take a lot more steps during the day."

Maley said the study hopes to determine whether dogs can provide a healthful, social, family environment that is more active on a daily basis.

"We want to know if the dogs are a key motivating factor in getting people to walk," Maley said.

"Having a dog seems to make people walk more but we want to measure that so it can be backed up by scientific data," Maley added. "We want to see how dog walkers compare to nonwalkers."

Barbour Warren, a Cornell cancer biologist; Carol Devine, of Cornell nutritional services; veterinarians Joseph Vakshlag and Francis Kallfelz; and Jeanne Darling of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County are among those involved in the program.

People who want more information or to see if they qualify may call Tracy Farrell at (866) 318-0944 or e-mail tjf6@cornell.edu.

___

Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com

Text Only
Local News
  • Local economic 'game plan' ready for action

    Attracting, developing and promoting business and economic development in Otsego County are moving to the front burner in a ``game plan’’ to apply for state funding, three local officials said this morning.

     

    April 24, 2012

  • Upper reservoir at Blenheim-Gilboa to reopen for recreational boaters

    The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will reopen the upper reservoir at its Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project to recreational boaters on Monday. The project’s lower reservoir will also open at that time but with certain restrictions.
     

    March 29, 2012

  • Drug "kingpin" arrested in Otsego County

    The arrest of a major drug kingpin in Otsego County was announced today by Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. and District Attorney John M. Muehl. Following a year-long investigation by a number of law enforcement agencies, Dante Darren Major, 35, of Hobart, was arrested for a number of drug felonies, Otsego deputies said.

    March 23, 2012

  • Motorist rolls truck, charged with drunken driving A motorist who continued driving after his truck rolled 360 degrees in Summit early Monday was charged with drunken driving, state police at Cobleskill said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Motorist rolls truck, charged with drunken driving A motorist who continued driving after his truck rolled 360 degrees in Summit early Monday was charged with drunken driving, state police at Cobleskill said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Mary Lorraine Hawkins RICHFIELD SPRINGS _ Mary Lorraine Hawkins, 85, went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 10, 2010, she was at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown.

    May 11, 2010

  • Area briefs: Video on natural gas drilling to be presented COPES CORNERS _ The Concerned Citizens of the Butternut Valley will sponsor a video presentation about natural gas drilling at 7 p.m. today at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School at 693 State Highway 51.

    May 11, 2010

  • Area briefs: Video on natural gas drilling to be presented COPES CORNERS _ The Concerned Citizens of the Butternut Valley will sponsor a video presentation about natural gas drilling at 7 p.m. today at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School at 693 State Highway 51.

    May 11, 2010

  • Evelyn E. Kinney MORRIS _ Evelyn E. Kinney, 81, of Morris, passed away Jan. 17, 2010.

    May 11, 2010

  • Frost may have damaged plantings Traces of a visit by Jack Frost overnight might leave severe damage to plant life in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties, weather officials said Monday.

    May 11, 2010

  • Daisy Wagner Schultz WALTON _ Daisy Meda Wagner Schultz, 65, of Walton, passed away unexpectedly Sunday evening, May 9, 2010, at home.

    May 11, 2010

  • Frost may have damaged plantings Traces of a visit by Jack Frost overnight might leave severe damage to plant life in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties, weather officials said Monday.

    May 11, 2010

  • Edward Luke Ryder MOUNT VISION _ Edward Luke Ryder, 71, passed away Monday, May 10, 2010, at his home.

    May 11, 2010

  • Police probe apparent murder-suicide WALTON _ An apparent murder-suicide shooting is being investigated by the Walton Police Department, the state police and the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, Walton Police Officer Brian Laauser said Monday. The shootings occurred at 32 Union Street at about 10 p.m. Sunday, police said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Police probe apparent murder-suicide WALTON _ An apparent murder-suicide shooting is being investigated by the Walton Police Department, the state police and the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, Walton Police Officer Brian Laauser said Monday. The shootings occurred at 32 Union Street at about 10 p.m. Sunday, police said.

    May 11, 2010

  • 3 area lawyers say Kagan likely to be confirmed Elena Kagan is likely to be confirmed as United States Supreme Court justice and seems qualified for the post, according to three area lawyers.
    Kagan, the nations solicitor general and a former dean of Harvard Law School, is President Barack Obamas choice to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

    May 11, 2010

  • Alyce H. Roberts ONEONTA _ Alyce H. Roberts, 89, of Oneonta, passed away Sunday, May 9, 2010, at home.

    May 11, 2010

  • 3 area lawyers say Kagan likely to be confirmed Elena Kagan is likely to be confirmed as United States Supreme Court justice and seems qualified for the post, according to three area lawyers.
    Kagan, the nations solicitor general and a former dean of Harvard Law School, is President Barack Obamas choice to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

    May 11, 2010

  • Outdoor biking program starts in city ONEONTA _ An outdoor biking program Tuesday nights has begun in Oneonta.
    The group meets at the Brenner Recreational Center near Hodges Pond in Neahwa Park at 5 p.m.

    May 11, 2010

  • Outdoor biking program starts in city ONEONTA _ An outdoor biking program Tuesday nights has begun in Oneonta.
    The group meets at the Brenner Recreational Center near Hodges Pond in Neahwa Park at 5 p.m.

    May 11, 2010

New Today!
Additional Content
Poll

Should high schoolers play football despite the risk of concussions.

Yes
No
     View Results