DEAR ABBY: The letter from "Kay in St. Joseph, Mo." (Jan. 10) caught my attention. She's the woman whose husband (a hunter) leaves bloody footprints and pieces of deer carcass throughout their house and his soiled clothes piled in the kitchen.

I am a female bow hunter. If my hunting buddies (all of whom are male) came into my house and made a mess like Kay's husband does, I would shoot THEM.

There's a reason why the annual "great hunt" is always at her house. None of the other hunters' families would put up with their disrespect. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to remove week-old animal blood from a carpet.

History repeats itself, and inconsiderate people don't change on their own. "Kay" needs to stand up for herself and refuse to tolerate their behavior any longer. -- J.J. IN FORT WAYNE, IND.

DEAR J.J.: I couldn't agree more. However, because the balance of power in her family does not appear to be in her favor, I thought she'd have better luck if she let her husband wallow in the mess he and his brothers had created while she vacated the premises -- and let him get a professional cleaning crew in there if the chore was more than he could handle. That is, until I heard from more of my readers:

DEAR ABBY: I have hunted for almost 40 years and have always processed my own meat -- from squirrel to deer. Most hunters keep the work area clean so the meat won't be contaminated. I have seen a few hunters like Kay's husband, and simply put, they are lazy. Their meat is filled with hair and dirt, and could be spoiled as well.

I do all my meat processing in my clean garage, then bring it down to the basement to wrap before storing it in the freezer. I hose down any blood residue, and all scraps are thrown in the trash can as I work. Kay needs to put her foot down and kick them out of the house. -- LARRY IN BRADFORD, PA.

DEAR ABBY: I'm not sure how intellectual those folks are, but there could be grave consequences because of their behavior. Most wild game carry a variety of bacteria, some strains of which are rumored to have infected North American deer herds with mad-cow disease.

When wild game is cleaned, precautions should be taken to disinfect the animal and the work area. Some folks go so far as to field-clean an animal and wash it down with a bleach solution as soon as it's taken. Surgical gloves are worn, and when everything is done, the people cleanse themselves and their gear immediately! -- ROBERT IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLA.

DEAR ABBY: I raised five boys, who with their father loved to go fishing. I told them I'd cook and serve anything I found in the kitchen. It took only one meal of fried fish, innards and all, for them to get the message. -- VICKY IN SONORA, CALIF.

DEAR ABBY: My son used to work in a butcher shop that processed deer every year. When the deer came in, all the other meat that was sold had to be moved out.

If meat isn't handled correctly or becomes tainted and makes someone ill, Kay's husband and brothers-in-law could be in serious trouble. It may be time for her to contact the local health department. Because her husband is being paid to "process" food, I'm sure he's violating more than a few laws -- and the fines he could be subject to could cost him "deerly"! -- KEITH IN OHIO

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)

DEAR ABBY: As someone who has been dealing with diabetes for most of my life, I've made a point to have regular medical checkups to keep a close watch on my cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels. For a long time, I thought I was doing everything I could to stay healthy.

What I didn't realize until I attended a free screening offered by the National Kidney Foundation was that diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease. This screening, called "KEEP" for Kidney Early Evaluation Program, is designed to detect kidney disease in the early stages in people like me who have diabetes and other health problems that put us at risk.

I knew I had diabetes. But KEEP identified my chronic kidney disease, and I have since been taking measures to keep it under control. I have also learned that doctors do not routinely screen for kidney function. Twenty million Americans -- that's one in every nine adults -- have chronic kidney disease, and 20 million MORE Americans remain at risk.

I'm writing to you, Abby, to ask you to let your readers know that if they suspect they have high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of kidney disease, they, too, could be at risk. March 8 is World Kidney Day -- and it is the day the National Kidney Foundation is offering free KEEP screenings in 30 cities around the United States.

World Kidney Day is not a "holiday." It's a time to find out your family's history, assess whether you might be at risk and get checked out. Hopefully, it is also a day people can celebrate the idea of enjoying long, healthier lives for themselves and those they love ... for KEEPS!

-- ALMA McBRIDE, MERRITT ISLAND, FLA.

DEAR ALMA: Thank you for your helpful and informative letter. I, for one, was unaware that high blood pressure and diabetes -- in addition to a family history -- could make people more vulnerable to kidney disease.

Readers, to locate the KEEP screening nearest you, visit � HYPERLINK "http://www.keeponline.org" ��www.keeponline.org�, or call the National Kidney Foundation toll-free at (800) 622-9010.

DEAR ABBY: I share an apartment with my roommate, "Ally," whose boyfriend, "Todd," just moved in one day. We have our own rooms, but the wall dividing our rooms goes only halfway up, so I hear everything that they do -- including sex.

I can't stand it anymore! Todd never leaves because he doesn't have a job. While Ally works and goes to school, he lies around all day. She comes home and does Todd's laundry, cooks for him, cleans up after him and pays for everything. They have sex all the time, and it often wakes me up or keeps me awake at night.

I am paying over $1,000 a month, and I have reached the end of my rope. I don't know how to address it. Please help me. -- TEARING MY HAIR OUT IN ILLINOIS

DEAR TEARING MY HAIR OUT: It is time to inform your roommate that the situation has become intolerable, if you haven't already found the courage to do so. Your landlord might also want to weigh in on the discussion. I don't know what kind of lease you and Ally have, but it's time you read it closely. Many leases have clauses that restrict the number of days (and nights!) that "guests" may remain on the premises.

To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in the price.)

DEAR ABBY: I have a friend I'll call "Sean" who has been having problems with his son, "Logan." It has gotten to the point where Sean is scared to be with Logan. The boy has begun showing psychotic behavior. Abby, Logan is only 5 years old.

Sean told me that Logan was torturing the family dog. He almost blinded the poor animal before Sean got rid of it. When Sean asked Logan why he was hurting the dog, the boy shrugged and replied, "I like the way it feels." What kind of answer is that for a 5-year-old?

Logan is in counseling and has had every test possible done, however the counselor says he is "fine." The counselor said that he behaves this way because he is being "neglected." But that is not true. I can't understand how a child could say that he likes the way it feels to torture an animal. He knows the difference between right and wrong, but likes the way it feels.

What can I do, and where can I go to get this child help? -- MYSTIFIED IN CALGARY

DEAR MYSTIFIED: It's time for your friend to consult some other doctors about his son's behavior, because the boy's counselor has been unable to help him. There is nothing wrong with seeking a second -- or third -- opinion.

Children who abuse animals have been known to grow up to become extremely violent adults unless there is serious psychiatric intervention. If Sean has not already done so, he should ask Logan's pediatrician for a referral to a psychoanalyst who specializes in children before the boy injures a child.

DEAR ABBY: I am perplexed at the number of people who do not read newspapers or even choose to tune in to TV news programs.

Only one of my five children keeps up with current events. (On a different level, a lot of the young people I see live with cell phones and iPods glued to their ears.) With a wave of hands, most of my family dismiss local, regional, national, political news, all world issues, etc., claiming they don't care to know any facts or issues because they're all too disturbing. They claim that what is going to happen is going to happen anyway, and they are too busy with their personal lives.

I remind them that we live in dangerous times, and it's their responsibility to be informed and alert for the safety of their families. They pooh-pooh me, saying I'm a fearmonger.

In my 75 years, I have seen and heard a lot. I know what can happen when a country becomes too complacent. Is the American populace falling into the trap of "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" -- or am I just nuts? -- CONCERNED GRANDMA IN FLORIDA

DEAR CONCERNED GRANDMA: You're not nuts, but has it occurred to you that your family -- and many other people -- may not suffer from lack of information, but rather burnout from getting too much?

These days, more and more individuals get their news from the Internet via computers, cell phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants). In fact, they're getting their news faster than newspapers can put it on the stands. And that is why more and more newspapers are encouraging their readers to visit their Web sites for breaking news, while devoting their printed pages to longer analyses of newsworthy events.

Although I have heard a few people say they no longer feel connected to the political process because they cannot, as individuals, influence the outcome, thankfully they are few and far between.

For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more attractive person, order "How to Be Popular." Send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)