Vaccinate zoo animals against FMD if necessary, say experts
The Standing Veterinary Committee (SVC) accepted the opinion Veterinary experts and experts on zoo animals on 4 April on measures for protecting rare and endangered species in zoos in the light of the current foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. There was full agreement on the need to take any possible measures to prevent the disease spreading. Member States where outbreaks of FMD have been discovered should have in place contingency plans to protect zoos, including resorting to vaccination if such a risk was identified, the group concluded. Vaccination shall however only take place when an outbreak of FMD has been confirmed within 25 kilometres of a zoo containing endangered species. However exceptions may be made if extremely rare breeds or animals used for irreplaceable and important research work are thought to be at risk. The experts considered that, with the appropriate safeguards, zoo animals could be vaccinated without jeopardising the animal health status of a country where such animals are kept under appropriate controlled conditions. In the event that a Member State considers it necessary to vaccinate zoo animals, the Commission will take the circumstances into consideration and defend actions in the relevant international institutions, especially the International Office of Epizooties (OIE), and in relation to any trade restrictions imposed by third countries on EC exports. The Commission has written to the OIE to request an urgent review of the animal health code, as current standards do not cater for such a specific situation. A preliminary meeting where this subject will be discussed is scheduled to take place soon.