Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
RSPCA News from the press office

Tuesday 30 August 2005

Bird 'Flu: RSPCA Urges Increased Vigilance

As concerns about bird 'flu grow, the RSPCA is urging a reasoned response and highlighting the importance of precautionary measures. These include:

• stepping up hygiene precautions and surveillance monitoring on UK farms;1
• stricter controls on the importation of wild caught birds; and
• good enforcement at ports and airports to prevent the illegal trade in poultry and live wild birds.

"Good biosecurity measures should be a matter of routine," explains RSPCA Director of Science Dr Arthur Lindley, "but the increasing threat from avian influenza means that there can be no room for complacency. The RSPCA is urging all poultry keepers to ensure that they are taking stringent precautions."

The RSPCA has long-standing welfare concerns about the importation of live wild birds and – given the low risk but very serious consequences of importing bird 'flu – the Society is calling for a proper risk assessment by exporting countries. Imports should not be permitted where the absence of a link to bird 'flu cannot be demonstrated. Vigilance at ports and airports is crucial.

One of the key lessons to be learned from the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) crisis, was the need for strict biosecurity measures2 on all premises with animals at risk from infection. This greatly reduces the risk of disease being spread. The RSPCA's own inspectorate, farm livestock officers, Freedom Food3 assessors and other field staff dealing with poultry have been alerted to the importance of maintaining their usual high standards of biosecurity.

Although Defra's contingency planning is well advanced, the RSPCA still has concerns about the lack of detail in the proposals for culling infected birds in the event of an outbreak of bird 'flu in the UK. The Society is pressing Defra to ensure that the procedures in place are as welfare-friendly as possible if mass culling of infected poultry ever becomes necessary.

"We strongly welcome the Defra and EU decision not to shut in free-range poultry," added RSPCA's Head of Farm Animals Dr Julia Wrathall. 'Such an action would be out of all proportion to the very low risk. We have serious concerns for the welfare of free-range birds if they were suddenly confined inside. Such loss of the freedom they are accustomed to could cause considerable stress to the birds and could lead to feather-pecking and aggressive behaviour. Stressed birds also have an increased risk of disease." -ends-

Notes to editors

1. Regular and frequent monitoring of animals and poultry for symptoms of ill-health and seeking appropriate veterinary advice are basic requirements of livestock care.

2. Biosecurity measures include washing and disinfecting vehicles and footwear, wearing protective clothing and washing or disposing of those overalls after every farm visit. Advice about good biosecurity precautions can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/pdf/biosecleaf.pdf

3. Freedom Food is the RSPCA's farm assurance and food labelling scheme.

4. The RSPCA is one of Defra's primary agricultural stakeholders and has advised Defra on the preparation of the Government's contingency plan: Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan: Foot & Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza, Newcastle Disease and Classical Swine Fever. If an outbreak of avian flu occurs, the plan states that the RSPCA will be invited to be part of the Joint Co-ordination Centre. The RSPCA considers this a major improvement on the handling of the FMD crisis, when it was six weeks before the Government accepted RSPCA offers of assistance.