Vol. 10, No. 10, October 2014 |
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National Veterinary Stockpile Exercise
Dr. Greg Christy was scheduled to talk about the National Veterinary Stockpile Exercise scheduled for November 19-20 at the State Logistical Resource Center in Orlando, but in his absence, ESF-17 ECO Joe Kight filled in explaining that the purpose of the exercise was to coordinate a 24-hour response to the 10 most threatening livestock and animal diseases. A USDA/APHIS/VS “Fact Sheet” about The National Veterinary Stockpile’s Exercise Program is available at www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2013/faq_nvs_exercise.pdf. A brief report in pdf format titled “Southern States, National Veterinary Stockpile - Successfully Test Capabilities for Responding Logistically to a Damaging Animal Disease - April 2010” is also online at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergency_management/downloads/saadra-nvs_exercise_logistics_readiness.pdf.
For a PowerPoint presentation about the National Veterinary Stockpile, look here: www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/acah/downloads/nvs_sacah_presentation.pdf.
The State Logistics Response Center in Orlando is a 200,000 square foot, climate controlled cross-dock logistics management facility. Situated on 13 acres, the complex includes a heliport, staging for semi-truck/trailers, 197,850 square feet of climate controlled warehouse areas and a 19,196 square foot Logistics Operations, Movement Control and Training Center. The facility affords the State of Florida the ability to provide immediate resource support to any event in the state, as well as coordinate the logistics operations of local, state and federal agencies. The facility maintains around $38 million in resources to support 500,000 persons for the first 3 days of a disaster. This facility also acts as the State’s Logistics Laboratory providing advanced logistics training for State and county personnel. |
New Pet Retail Store Rules
Kim Duffiney, USDA/APHIS/AC, reported on new USDA regulations.
A. RETAIL STORES: Over the years, APHIS has received increasing complaints from the public about the lack of monitoring and oversight of the health and humane treatment of dogs and other pets sold sight-unseen, often via the Internet.
Our primary goal is to ensure that people who sell pets at retail sight-unseen, are regulated under the 1966 Animal Welfare Act, so that these animals can be monitored by our Agency for their health and humane treatment. To do that, we revised the definition of “retail pet store” in our regulations to bring the animals involved in these transactions under regulation so that they receive basic standards of care. We also provided greater regulatory latitude for certain types of small breeding operations consistent with this change. www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2013/faq_retail_pets_final_rule.pdf
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B. IMPORT OF CATS AND DOGS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulates the importation of dogs and cats. To protect public health, dogs must be adequately vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to entry. Puppies must not be vaccinated against rabies before 3 months of age, so the youngest that a puppy can be imported is 4 months. For puppies, importers may need a confinement agreement from the CDC prior to arrival. Without this agreement or vaccination, animals may be refused entry. http://www.cdc.gov/animalimportation/dogs.html
The USDA restricts the importation of dogs. Collies, shepherds, and other dogs imported from any part of the world except Canada, Mexico, and regions of Central America and the West Indies and that are to be used in the handling of livestock must be inspected and quarantined at the port of entry for a sufficient time to determine their freedom from tapeworm.
APHIS/VS also has requirements for dogs from countries affected with screwworm. Pets may enter if they are accompanied and have a certificate stating they are screwworm-free signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the region of origin stating that the dog has been inspected for screwworm within 5 days prior to shipment.
Dogs imported from areas affected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease must take certain precautions to prevent the introduction of FMD into the U.S.
The CDC regulations pertaining to cats can be found by following this link: http://www.cdc.gov/animalimportation/cats.html
Introduction to NDSU Bovine Emergency Response Plan
 Florida ESF-17 ECO Joe Kight, FDACS-DAI, and North Dakota's Lisa Pederson, NDSU-Extension Service discuss animal response issues at the 2013 SART Planning Meeting.
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Annually, more than 50 million head of domestic and imported cattle and calves are marketed and transported for breeding, feeding and slaughter in the U.S. Nearly all of these cattle are transported via truck and semitrailer. The number of livestock transported in the U.S. via truck and semitrailer has increased significantly since the mid-1950s. The transport of livestock is an integral part of the beef cattle industry.
According to a 2007 news article, in a seven-year period, more than 400 livestock transport accidents were reported in the U.S. and Canada. Of these accidents, 56 percent involved cattle trucks. Of the 169 documented cattle truck accidents, 23 percent involved trucks hauling finished cattle to slaughter and 70 percent involved the transport of feeders and calves. Only 1 percent of the reports identify weather as a cause of the accident. In fact, most of the accidents occurred in October, followed by November, August, April and May (Duckworth, 2007).
In the U.S., standard operating procedures for addressing accidents involving the transport of livestock do not exist. In several states, animal health authorities, law enforcement, livestock industries, first responders and livestock transport industries have identified a need for a “plan” or set of standard operating procedures to address cattle transportation accidents.
The objectives of the Bovine Emergency Response Plan were to: 1) develop a framework local law enforcement, first responders and emergency management could use to more appropriately address accidents involving cattle transport vehicles (The development team understood that this plan needed to be rigid enough to cover all of the critically needed areas but flexible enough to fit the needs of local municipalities.); 2) identify further educational materials and curriculum related to the project; and 3: identify future funding needs related to the development and sustainability of the Bovine Emergency Response Plan and its associated educational materials and program.
Lisa Pederson, NDSU Extension Service
Lisa.pederson@ndsu.edu