State Senator Dan Laughlin is worried about the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease affecting deer here in Pennsylvania, so he will be holding a joint public hearing on the issue in Bedford, PA Wednesday afternoon.


Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, is a neurological disease that has been compared to Mad Cow Disease.  The abnormal proteins devastate the animals, but they're also shed in saliva, urine and feces.

That has researchers concerned about animal to animal contact through infected environments, including grass.

Laughlin wants to see more funding for research and testing, because there's even concern it could spread to humans.


"If this disease makes the transmission from deer to humans similar to how Mad Cow Disease did in England several years ago, it would be devastating to our economy in general, also to the sport of hunting. As chairman of the Game and Fisheries Commission this falls under my purview," said Laughlin.


Senator Laughlin would like to see a test developed that hunters could use in the woods, so they know whether to leave a deer where it is for the game commission to handle it.  


The hearing is Wednesday at 5:00, which can be viewed live here.