Tom Morang
04-17-2002, 07:35 AM
Indiana Suspends Deer, Elk Imports for One Year
Contact: Denise Derrer
Phone: 317/227-0308
Email: dderrer@boah.state.in.us For Immediate Release: Apr 16, 2002
INDIANAPOLIS (16 April 2002)--Beginning this week, deer, elk and other
cervid species are prohibited from importation into the state of
Indiana. The emergency rule, adopted today by the members of the Indiana
State Board of Animal Health, is an effort to protect the state's
free-ranging and farm-raised cervids from chronic wasting disease.
On July 2, at their next regular meeting, Board members will again vote
on a permanent version of today's rule that would extend the suspension
of all such imports though May 1, 2003. A public hearing will be held
prior to the vote, when written and oral comments will be considered.
The proposed one-year moratorium on imports generated broad-ranging
support from the farm-raised deer and elk industries, as well as
conservation and wildlife groups and the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources. Representatives of each organization expressed support for
the measure during today's public hearing.
"While a one-year suspension falls short of a permanent solution, this
action affords us time to assess the rapidly changing events occurring
nationally regarding CWD," said Indiana State Veterinarian Dr. Bret D.
Marsh. "Because so little is known about how this disease is transmitted
and live-animal diagnostics are currently nonexistent, we feel this is
our best option for protecting Indiana's cervid industry and natural
resources until science can provide us more answers."
Chronic wasting disease, also known as CWD, is an always-fatal
brain-wasting condition that affects animals in the cervid family,
including elk, and various types of deer. Little is known about the
slow-progressing disease that is part of the category of illnesses known
as transmissible encephalopathies. This category includes unrelated
diseases such as Cruetzfeld-Jakob disease in humans and bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (or "mad cow" disease) in cattle. CWD has no
known human health effects. On going research has not yet identified a
cure or live-animal test for CWD.
Although the disease has never been diagnosed in Indiana, seven states
and two Canadian provinces have reported positive cases in captive
and/or free-ranging animals. Concern about the spread of the disease in
the United States has heightened recently at the discovery of several
infected deer in Wisconsin last month.
Indiana State Board of Animal Health and Department of Natural Resources
staff members plan to launch a CWD surveillance program in Indiana this
year to verify the health status of native populations.
The public may submit written comments on the proposed rule to the
Indiana State Board of Animal Health until the close of the comment
period at 10 a.m. on July 2.
http://www.in.gov/serv/presscal?PF=boah&Clist=17&Elist=52422
State bans importation of deer and elk
By Associated Press, 4/12/2002 18:44
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York will no longer import deer and elk as a
precautionary step to prevent the introduction of chronic wasting
disease in animals, state environmental and agricultural regulators said
Friday.
The new regulations take effect immediately.
''By banning the import of deer and elk into the state, we can reduce
the risk of the chronic wasting disease entering New York and help to
prevent our abundant wild deer herds from being exposed to this deadly
disease,'' said Erin Crotty, commissioner of the state Department of
Environmental Conservation.
More than 400 entities in the state raise nearly 10,000 deer and elk in
captivity and routinely import captive-bred deer and elk from other states.
Chronic wasting disease is characterized by weight loss in animals and
is always fatal. The disease has been diagnosed in captive members of
the deer family in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Oklahoma and
South Dakota.
There are no known cases of the disease in New York.
Contact: Denise Derrer
Phone: 317/227-0308
Email: dderrer@boah.state.in.us For Immediate Release: Apr 16, 2002
INDIANAPOLIS (16 April 2002)--Beginning this week, deer, elk and other
cervid species are prohibited from importation into the state of
Indiana. The emergency rule, adopted today by the members of the Indiana
State Board of Animal Health, is an effort to protect the state's
free-ranging and farm-raised cervids from chronic wasting disease.
On July 2, at their next regular meeting, Board members will again vote
on a permanent version of today's rule that would extend the suspension
of all such imports though May 1, 2003. A public hearing will be held
prior to the vote, when written and oral comments will be considered.
The proposed one-year moratorium on imports generated broad-ranging
support from the farm-raised deer and elk industries, as well as
conservation and wildlife groups and the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources. Representatives of each organization expressed support for
the measure during today's public hearing.
"While a one-year suspension falls short of a permanent solution, this
action affords us time to assess the rapidly changing events occurring
nationally regarding CWD," said Indiana State Veterinarian Dr. Bret D.
Marsh. "Because so little is known about how this disease is transmitted
and live-animal diagnostics are currently nonexistent, we feel this is
our best option for protecting Indiana's cervid industry and natural
resources until science can provide us more answers."
Chronic wasting disease, also known as CWD, is an always-fatal
brain-wasting condition that affects animals in the cervid family,
including elk, and various types of deer. Little is known about the
slow-progressing disease that is part of the category of illnesses known
as transmissible encephalopathies. This category includes unrelated
diseases such as Cruetzfeld-Jakob disease in humans and bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (or "mad cow" disease) in cattle. CWD has no
known human health effects. On going research has not yet identified a
cure or live-animal test for CWD.
Although the disease has never been diagnosed in Indiana, seven states
and two Canadian provinces have reported positive cases in captive
and/or free-ranging animals. Concern about the spread of the disease in
the United States has heightened recently at the discovery of several
infected deer in Wisconsin last month.
Indiana State Board of Animal Health and Department of Natural Resources
staff members plan to launch a CWD surveillance program in Indiana this
year to verify the health status of native populations.
The public may submit written comments on the proposed rule to the
Indiana State Board of Animal Health until the close of the comment
period at 10 a.m. on July 2.
http://www.in.gov/serv/presscal?PF=boah&Clist=17&Elist=52422
State bans importation of deer and elk
By Associated Press, 4/12/2002 18:44
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York will no longer import deer and elk as a
precautionary step to prevent the introduction of chronic wasting
disease in animals, state environmental and agricultural regulators said
Friday.
The new regulations take effect immediately.
''By banning the import of deer and elk into the state, we can reduce
the risk of the chronic wasting disease entering New York and help to
prevent our abundant wild deer herds from being exposed to this deadly
disease,'' said Erin Crotty, commissioner of the state Department of
Environmental Conservation.
More than 400 entities in the state raise nearly 10,000 deer and elk in
captivity and routinely import captive-bred deer and elk from other states.
Chronic wasting disease is characterized by weight loss in animals and
is always fatal. The disease has been diagnosed in captive members of
the deer family in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Oklahoma and
South Dakota.
There are no known cases of the disease in New York.