Dog quarantined after dangerous encounter in its own backyard — here's how it points to a larger issue
A Cherry Hill family is facing four months of worry after their dog killed a skunk in the backyard — and the skunk tested positive for rabies, reported NBC Philadelphia.
The case isn't just a one-off scare. It's a growing problem, and experts say our changing environment may be part of what's driving it.
According to Camden County officials, the skunk was killed by a dog on May 16. It was collected by Animal Control and tested positive for rabies on May 21.
The dog is now under strict quarantine for the next four months, per state health guidelines.
While rabid skunks aren't a new issue, encounters like this are happening more often and closer to home.
As human development stretches deeper into wild spaces and rising global temperatures reshape natural ecosystems, wildlife is getting pushed into closer contact with our neighborhoods.
Food becomes harder to find. Shelter disappears. And animals like skunks end up wandering into places they wouldn't have a generation ago.
That increased overlap brings disease risks with it. Rabies in skunks has been documented in growing numbers, especially in places where drought and habitat loss force infected animals into new territories.
Protecting natural spaces reduces the likelihood of diseased wildlife entering backyards and also promotes biodiversity and thriving ecosystems.
On a broad level, better habitat protection can keep animals out of human spaces — and prevent disease spread at the source.
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Absolutely
Only when I'm camping or hiking
Not really
Never
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Natural space preservation, wildlife crossings, and smarter city planning can all help reduce risky encounters like this one.
On an individual level, it still comes back to vigilance, like keeping pets vaccinated, securing trash bins so they don't attract scavengers, teaching kids to give wild animals space, and reporting any suspicious behavior — in animals or people — to the appropriate authorities.
It's easy to think of environmental problems as distant or abstract. But this one came through the fence and into the yard.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Novo Nordisk advances early-stage obesity medication, amycretin, to phase 3 clinical development based on early-phase clinical trial results in people with obesity or excess weight, published in The Lancet
Both subcutaneous and oral formulations will advance straight to phase 3 development based on completed clinical studies and feedback received from regulatory authorities1,2 PLAINSBORO, N.J., June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, results from two early-phase clinical trials evaluating Novo Nordisk's amycretin, an innovative investigational obesity treatment designed to target appetite regulation, were published in The Lancet.1 In a phase 1b/2a clinical trial of 125 adults with overweight or obesity, once-weekly subcutaneous amycretin appeared to be safe and tolerable in trial participants, who also achieved significantly greater weight loss across the full range of doses investigated versus placebo.1 A related phase 1 trial of once-daily oral amycretin in adults with obesity or overweight also showed that treatment was safe and tolerable with an observed reduction in body weight compared to placebo.2 No weight loss plateau was observed in either trial at the end of the respective treatment durations.1,2 Data on subcutaneous amycretin is scheduled to be presented on Sunday, June 22nd, during a late-breaking poster session at the American Diabetes Association's® (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions.1 "We are pleased with the promising results of amycretin and the feedback from regulatory authorities and are excited to advance both subcutaneous and oral versions of this molecule into phase 3 development for weight management. At Novo Nordisk, we understand that addressing obesity is a complex challenge that many patients face. These results reflect our robust pipeline in obesity, our focus on progressing scientific innovation and expanding the range of options available to patients and healthcare professionals," said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk. "We remain steadfast in our mission to discover and develop therapies that can have a meaningful impact in the lives of those affected by obesity." Results from the phase 1b/2a trial of subcutaneous amycretin showed treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were mild or moderate in severity and increased in frequency in a dose-dependent manner. The most frequent reported TEAEs were gastrointestinal in nature. Compared to placebo, participants receiving amycretin observed greater weight loss across the full range of doses investigated.1 Subcutaneous amycretin at multiple doses demonstrated greater weight reduction than placebo at the end of the trial. Participants who received the highest doses (up to 60 mg) reported body weight reductions of up to 24.3% versus 1.1% with placebo after 36 weeks of treatment. Results from this first-in-human phase 1b/2a study support further investigation of potential weight-loss efficacy of amycretin. Results from the published phase 1 trial of oral amycretin showed that the most common TEAEs were related to gastrointestinal symptoms (mainly nausea and vomiting) and decreased appetite; these were most frequent for the higher doses. Trial participants receiving the study treatment demonstrated significantly greater weight loss across the full range of doses investigated versus the placebo group.2 Exploratory results showed participants taking 100 mg per day of oral amycretin achieved a mean weight loss of 13.1% versus 1.2% with placebo after 12 weeks.2 Based on these phase 1 results, longer evaluation with more participants is warranted to substantiate the full efficacy findings of oral amycretin on body weight reductions and changes in metabolic parameters. Novo Nordisk will advance both subcutaneous and oral amycretin formulations straight to phase 3 development for weight management based on these and other completed clinical studies, as well as feedback received from regulatory authorities. About amycretinAmycretin is a unimolecular long-acting GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist under development by Novo Nordisk, to provide a treatment for adults with overweight or obesity and as a treatment for adults with type 2 diabetes. Amycretin is under investigation for oral and subcutaneous administration, and is not approved in the US for weight loss. About the phase 1b/2a subcutaneous amycretin trialThe phase 1b/2a trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-center, double-blinded study of 125 participants assessing the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and effects on body weight after subcutaneous administration of amycretin in people with overweight or obesity.1 Adults with a body mass index of 27-39.9kg/m2 and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.5% were eligible for the trial.1 The trial was conducted in 5 parts: a single ascending dose (Part A) for determination of pharmacokinetics and starting dose for the first multiple dose cohort in which the safety and tolerability were explored using dose escalation until 36 weeks of total treatment duration (Part B).1 Lastly, in the multiple ascending dose – dose response parts, body weight loss was explored for up to 36 weeks of dosing by escalating to dose levels of 1.25 mg, 5 mg, and 20 mg, respectively, dosed for 12 weeks (Part E, D and C).1 About the phase 1 oral amycretin trial The phase 1 single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of single ascending doses (Part A) and multiple ascending doses (Part B, 10 days of treatment; Part C/D, 12 weeks of treatment) of 144 adult participants with overweight or obesity.2 The primary endpoint was the number of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) observed in the trial. The trial evaluated the single-ascending dose and multiple ascending doses for oral amycretin, up to 2 times 50 mg, in people with overweight or obesity, with a total treatment duration of up to 12 weeks.2 About obesityObesity is a serious chronic, progressive, and complex disease that requires long-term management.3-5 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.3,5 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.6,7 The prevalence of overweight and obesity is a public health issue that has severe cost implications to healthcare systems.8,9 In the US, about 40% of adults live with obesity.10 About Novo NordiskNovo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company that's been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for more than 100 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to drive change to help people defeat other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood, and endocrine disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term, and do business in a financially, socially, and environmentally responsible way. With a US presence spanning 40 years, Novo Nordisk US is headquartered in New Jersey and employs over 10,000 people throughout the country across 12 manufacturing, R&D and corporate locations in eight states plus Washington DC. For more information, visit Facebook, Instagram, and X. Novo Nordisk is committed to the responsible use of our semaglutide-containing medicines which represent distinct products with different indications, dosages, prescribing information, titration schedules, and delivery forms. These products are not interchangeable and should not be used outside of their approved indications. Learn more at Contacts for further information Media:Liz Skrbkova (US)+1 609 917 0632USMediaRelations@ Ambre James-Brown (Global)+45 3079 9289Globalmedia@ Investors:Frederik Taylor Pitter (US)+1 609 613 0568fptr@ Jacob Martin Wiborg Rode (Global)+45 3075 5956jrde@ Sina Meyer (Global)+45 3079 6656 azey@ Ida Schaap Melvold (Global)+45 3077 5649 idmg@ Max Ung (Global)+45 3077 6414mxun@ References Dahl K, Toubro S, Dey S, et al. Amycretin, a novel, unimolecular GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist administered subcutaneously: Results of a randomised, controlled, phase 1b/2a study. The Lancet. Published online: June 20, 2025. Gasiorek A, Heydorn A, Gabery S, et al. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the first-in-class GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist, amycretin: a first-in-human, phase 1, randomised, placebo-controlled study. The Lancet. Published online: June 20, 2025. Kaplan LM, Golden A, Jinnett K, et al. Perceptions of barriers to effective obesity care: results from the national action study. Obesity. 2018;26(1):61-69. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH; World Obesity Federation. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Rev. 2017;18(7):715-723. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American association of clinical endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22 (Suppl 3):1-203. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult obesity facts. Last accessed: June 2025. Available at: World Obesity Federation. World Obesity Atlas 2023. Last accessed: June 2025. Available at: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk Factors for Obesity. Last accessed: June 2025. Available at: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters. Last accessed: June 2025. Available at: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. Last accessed June 2025. Available at: © 2025 Novo Nordisk All rights reserved. US25SEMO01477 June 2025 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE NOVO NORDISK INC.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
At least 7 children have died in a hot car in the U.S. this year. Why this happens, according to experts.
Seven children have died in hot cars across the U.S. so far this year. In March, a 4-month-old who was supposed to be dropped off at a babysitter's home in New Jersey was forgotten in a minivan for two hours. Just last week in North Carolina, a 7-month-old was also left inside a hot minivan. It's a preventable tragedy that makes dozens of headlines every spring and summer. Nearly 40 children die in hot cars each year, according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit that fights for child safety in and around vehicles. Since 1990, more than 1,000 kids have died from overheating in a car somewhere in the U.S. In 2024, 39 kids died in hot cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), down from 2018 and 2019, when a record-breaking 53 children died in hot cars. Excluding car crashes, heatstroke is the leading cause of death in vehicles for children 14 and younger. The majority of hot car deaths happen because the driver forgets the child is in the car, according to the NHTSA. The federal agency has found that 47% of these deaths happen when the caregiver has forgotten to drop those children off at day care or school, and it usually happens at the end of the workweek, on Thursdays or Fridays. The second leading cause is when unsupervised children get into unattended vehicles on their own. 'The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that they could never 'forget' their child in a vehicle,' Kids and Car Safety notes. 'The most dangerous mistake a parent or caregiver can make is to think leaving a child alone in a vehicle could never happen to them or their family.' Children who get trapped in cars suffer from pediatric vehicular heatstroke, which happens when the child's body temperature rises because of the internal temperature of a car. For example, if the outside temperature is around 70°F, the inside of a car's temperature will increase to over 100°F within the first 30 minutes. A child's body will overheat three to five times faster than an adult's body, according to the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. More often than not, caregivers leave children in hot cars by accident, which is why they're usually not charged with murder, David Diamond, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida, told Yahoo News. Diamond has studied cases of children dying in hot cars for 20 years. 'These are not parents who don't care about their kids,' Diamond said. 'Everyone can relate to forgetting. It's something that we all do.' Diamond says parents leave their kids in overheating cars because of habit and routine. The 'habit brain memory system' kicks in when people perform repetitive tasks almost automatically or without a second thought. Diamond has said that knowing how to ride a bike or tie shoelaces are examples of habit brain memory. 'You're driving home from work, and you've done it hundreds of times by yourself,' Diamond explained to Yahoo News. 'It's your brain's habit memory system that takes you from work to home without even having to think about it. You drive straight home.' Even if parents feel confident that they will remember their child is in the back seat and needs to be dropped off somewhere before they get to the office, the habit brain memory system can overpower that new addition to a routine they've done hundreds of times without the child, Diamond said. He emphasized this is not a 'syndrome' or rare mental disorder, but something most people experience because it's how the brain functions. It does not mean the parent or caregiver doesn't love their child. ''Forgetting' really is the right word,' he said of situations where parents leave their kids in hot cars. But 'forgetting' the child because of routine doesn't alleviate any severity or pain from the experience for those parents. 'It truly is a form of forgetting. And that's as simple as it is. It is a catastrophe." Creating relevant safety laws is crucial to helping parents protect their children in these situations, Amber Rollins, director of Kids and Car Safety, told Yahoo News. Rollins cited data dating back to 1990 that shows children died less frequently from airbags while sitting in the front seat of a car after states made it illegal for kids under 13 to ride in the passenger seat. (It also wasn't required in all states for kids to ride in car seats until 1985.) But as more children were placed in the back seats of cars to avoid airbag deaths, kids were instead dying of heatstroke because they were forgotten in the car. This is why groups like Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Safe Kids Worldwide, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and Kids and Car Safety are advocating for it to be mandatory for car manufacturers to build in radar systems that help notify parents if their kids are still sitting in the back seat. Part of the argument for why radar should be built into the cars — instead of tools parents can order online and install themselves— is, as Diamond told Yahoo News, because most people do not believe they would ever forget their child in the back seat of the car and wouldn't buy it. 'The best kind of solution available right now is radar detection,' Rollins said. 'It's a little chip that goes into the headliner or the roof of the vehicle, and it detects micro-movements. … it can tell the difference between an adult and a child based on micro-movements … and so, effectively, it can tell, 'Hey, there's a kid in here and I don't see a grown-up; we've got a problem.'' Kids and Car Safety coordinated with NHTSA on the federal Hot Cars Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021. The act then evolved into a provision under the Child Safety section in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021. The provision requires that the Secretary of Transportation 'issue a rule that requires all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety alert system.' But, according to Rollins, the NHTSA has not made enough effort to put this rule into effect across all car manufacturers. Some manufacturers do have 'Rear Occupant Alert' systems in place for certain vehicle productions — it's in multiple Hyundai and Kia vehicles — but Rollins thinks the NHTSA should do more. A spokesperson for the NHTSA told Yahoo News that the organization is still conducting studies to ensure that the radar devices currently available are actually effective. A concern is that if the technology is faulty and alerts parents over every small thing in the back of their car, parents might feel inclined to turn it off, Rollins said. The technology needs to exclusively flag if children are unattended in the back of a car. Rollins argued that there are existing detection devices that have passed multiple tests and should be installed. 'The agency will continue to test additional systems as they become available to the public,' the NHTSA spokesperson said. It's common for parents to believe they would never forget their children in the back seat of their car. Here are some tips from Sanford Health on how to ensure you remember your child is in the back. Put something in the back seat of your car with your child that you need before leaving the vehicle, like a cell phone, one of your shoes or an employee badge — something you need when you arrive at your destination. Keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat and move it to the front of the car while driving your child as a reminder that they are in the car with you. Ask your babysitter or child care provider to give you a call if your child is expected to show up somewhere but hasn't arrived. Always check that your car is locked and inspect it before leaving the premises — even if you're in a rush. This can help you double-check nobody is in the back seat and addresses the second cause of children dying in hot cars, which is when they climb in unattended and unsupervised.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
At least 6 children have died in a hot car in the U.S. this year. Why this happens, according to experts.
Six children have died in hot cars across the U.S. so far this year. In March, a 4-month-old who was supposed to be dropped off at a babysitter's home in New Jersey was forgotten in a minivan for two hours. Just last week in North Carolina, a 7-month-old was also left inside a hot minivan. It's a preventable tragedy that makes dozens of headlines every spring and summer. Nearly 40 children die in hot cars each year, according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit that fights for child safety in and around vehicles. Since 1990, more than 1,000 kids have died from overheating in a car somewhere in the U.S. In 2024, 39 kids died in hot cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), down from 2018 and 2019, when a record-breaking 53 children died in hot cars. Excluding car crashes, heatstroke is the leading cause of death in vehicles for children 14 and younger. The majority of hot car deaths happen because the driver forgets the child is in the car, according to the NHTSA. The federal agency has found that 47% of these deaths happen when the caregiver has forgotten to drop those children off at day care or school, and it usually happens at the end of the workweek, on Thursdays or Fridays. The second leading cause is when unsupervised children get into unattended vehicles on their own. 'The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that they could never 'forget' their child in a vehicle,' Kids and Car Safety notes. 'The most dangerous mistake a parent or caregiver can make is to think leaving a child alone in a vehicle could never happen to them or their family.' Children who get trapped in cars suffer from pediatric vehicular heatstroke, which happens when the child's body temperature rises because of the internal temperature of a car. For example, if the outside temperature is around 70°F, the inside of a car's temperature will increase to over 100°F within the first 30 minutes. A child's body will overheat three to five times faster than an adult's body, according to the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. More often than not, caregivers leave children in hot cars by accident, which is why they're usually not charged with murder, David Diamond, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida, told Yahoo News. Diamond has studied cases of children dying in hot cars for 20 years. 'These are not parents who don't care about their kids,' Diamond said. 'Everyone can relate to forgetting. It's something that we all do.' Diamond says parents leave their kids in overheating cars because of habit and routine. The 'habit brain memory system' kicks in when people perform repetitive tasks almost automatically or without a second thought. Diamond has said that knowing how to ride a bike or tie shoelaces are examples of habit brain memory. 'You're driving home from work, and you've done it hundreds of times by yourself,' Diamond explained to Yahoo News. 'It's your brain's habit memory system that takes you from work to home without even having to think about it. You drive straight home.' Even if parents feel confident that they will remember their child is in the back seat and needs to be dropped off somewhere before they get to the office, the habit brain memory system can overpower that new addition to a routine they've done hundreds of times without the child, Diamond said. He emphasized this is not a 'syndrome' or rare mental disorder, but something most people experience because it's how the brain functions. It does not mean the parent or caregiver doesn't love their child. ''Forgetting' really is the right word,' he said of situations where parents leave their kids in hot cars. But 'forgetting' the child because of routine doesn't alleviate any severity or pain from the experience for those parents. 'It truly is a form of forgetting. And that's as simple as it is. It is a catastrophe." Creating relevant safety laws is crucial to helping parents protect their children in these situations, Amber Rollins, director of Kids and Car Safety, told Yahoo News. Rollins cited data dating back to 1990 that shows children died less frequently from airbags while sitting in the front seat of a car after states made it illegal for kids under 13 to ride in the passenger seat. (It also wasn't required in all states for kids to ride in car seats until 1985.) But as more children were placed in the back seats of cars to avoid airbag deaths, kids were instead dying of heatstroke because they were forgotten in the car. This is why groups like Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Safe Kids Worldwide, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and Kids and Car Safety are advocating for it to be mandatory for car manufacturers to build in radar systems that help notify parents if their kids are still sitting in the back seat. Part of the argument for why radar should be built into the cars — instead of tools parents can order online and install themselves— is, as Diamond told Yahoo News, because most people do not believe they would ever forget their child in the back seat of the car and wouldn't buy it. 'The best kind of solution available right now is radar detection,' Rollins said. 'It's a little chip that goes into the headliner or the roof of the vehicle, and it detects micro-movements. … it can tell the difference between an adult and a child based on micro-movements … and so, effectively, it can tell, 'Hey, there's a kid in here and I don't see a grown-up; we've got a problem.'' Kids and Car Safety coordinated with NHTSA on the federal Hot Cars Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021. The act then evolved into a provision under the Child Safety section in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021. The provision requires that the Secretary of Transportation 'issue a rule that requires all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety alert system.' But, according to Rollins, the NHTSA has not made enough effort to put this rule into effect across all car manufacturers. Some manufacturers do have 'Rear Occupant Alert' systems in place for certain vehicle productions — it's in multiple Hyundai and Kia vehicles — but Rollins thinks the NHTSA should do more. A spokesperson for the NHTSA told Yahoo News that the organization is still conducting studies to ensure that the radar devices currently available are actually effective. A concern is that if the technology is faulty and alerts parents over every small thing in the back of their car, parents might feel inclined to turn it off, Rollins said. The technology needs to exclusively flag if children are unattended in the back of a car. Rollins argued that there are existing detection devices that have passed multiple tests and should be installed. 'The agency will continue to test additional systems as they become available to the public,' the NHTSA spokesperson said. It's common for parents to believe they would never forget their children in the back seat of their car. Here are some tips from Sanford Health on how to ensure you remember your child is in the back. Put something in the back seat of your car with your child that you need before leaving the vehicle, like a cell phone, one of your shoes or an employee badge — something you need when you arrive at your destination. Keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat and move it to the front of the car while driving your child as a reminder that they are in the car with you. Ask your babysitter or child care provider to give you a call if your child is expected to show up somewhere but hasn't arrived. Always check that your car is locked and inspect it before leaving the premises — even if you're in a rush. This can help you double-check nobody is in the back seat and addresses the second cause of children dying in hot cars, which is when they climb in unattended and unsupervised.
