October 13, 2009
Ontario strengthens livestock disease response
The Ontario government in Canada has introduced legislation to enhance its ability to response when there is an outbreak of animal disease.
The government recently introduced its new Animal Health Act to provide measures to assist in the prevention, detection, response to and control of animal diseases and other hazards to protect the livestock sector.
The proposed act will provide the livestock industry with the requirement tools to reduce the likelihood of a major disease occurrence and assist with controlling its spread if one should occur, said Gord Coukell, chairman of the Ontario Livestock and Poultry Council.
The proposed law requires veterinarians and laboratories to report specific animal diseases to the provincial chief veterinarian (CVO). It also allows the CVO to authorise inspectors to inspect a farm operation of a possible hazard.
The law would also enable the use of quarantine orders, surveillance zones and animal health control area orders to help control the spread of any detected disease or hazard. The CVO will also have the authority to order for the destruction of livestock.
Ontario is home to Canada's largest poultry industry, second largest swine and dairy industries and third largest beef industry.
