Thank you for printing the information on the avian cholera and the die-off of the ducks on our lake. My husband and I were just two of many volunteers that picked up the dead waterfowl/gulls/crows in the past. We know how quickly this disease spreads and how important it is that we continue to pick the the birds from the shoreline "daily" and dispose of them properly.

I was disappointed to read that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife people were now just "monitoring" the situation. Does that mean just one person walks all the shorelines and looks for the dead birds? Do they not know that this disease doesn't disappear in just a few weeks? We have thousands of waterfowl on our lake right now.

When I read your article on the die-off, I sent an email to Dr. Susan Cannon (Wasson Memorial Vet.) who runs the Wildlife Rescue Center for our county. We offered to assist in picking up the dead waterfowl for as long as she needed us.

To my amazement, Dr. Cannon replied she was not aware of any duck die-off and had not seen it in the news. I sent her the link to your article and she said she was surprised that Fish and Wildlife hadn't contacted her or anyone in her vet's office.

My biggest worry is that people might unknowingly pick up the infected ducks or birds and bring them into veterinary offices where the avian cholera could be spread by curious people in the waiting room that want to see the bird. If Dr. Cannon wasn't advised, did other vets know about the outbreak?

I should think California Dept. of Fish and Game would care enough to do everything possible to get the word out to everyone and to continue to quickly pick up all of the dead ducks/birds.

There were many volunteers that put in lots of hours to assist in the past. All they had to do was ask. Shame on them.

Vicki Miller lives in Kelseyville, Calif.