The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is spearheading an effort to educate hobbyists and other owners of backyard bird flocks on how to prevent and detect disease outbreaks.
The national campaign — dubbed Bird Health Basics — promotes steps flock owners and those with pet birds can take to protect against dangerous diseases such as avian influenza and the exotic Newcastle disease.
The CFIA and collaborating provincial governments will host a series of educational meetings to provide bird owners with information on prevention and detection and what to expect if an outbreak occurs. The first sessions will be held in Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia early this year. Additional sessions in other provinces are planned for later this year.
The campaign will also feature a calendar with monthly biosecurity tips to help prevent the spread of viruses and other disease-causing agents. The CFIA has also produced an animated biosecurity video. All of these materials can be obtained by contacting the agency at 1-800-442-2342 or visiting the CFIA web site.
