News
AVMA: Shutdown risks well-being of animals and people
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says the government shutdown could endanger animal welfare and public health and has called on Congress “to reopen the US government.”
AVMA CEO Dr. Ron DeHaven says the health and well-being of millions of animal is at risk. The USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) which verifies the safety of animal vaccines is closed. He says current vaccine supplies will run out in a week or two and that herd health, food safety and public health would be endangered if food animal producers aren’t able to vaccinate their animals.
DeHaven tells Brownfield while the shutdown’s effects go much further than animal issues, “It highlights the fact that animal health and human health are inextricably linked. Understanding at the same time that the government has some really difficult choices to make during the shutdown like which functions are going to continue and which have to stop. In this particular case, we think they’ve made an error.”
DeHaven says he’s contacted USDA Deputy Secretary Krista Harden asking for relief for this issue. Also, the AVMA has brought their concerns to the congressional veterinary caucus, led by Representatives Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Ted Yoho of Florida, asking them to help find a bipartisan solution to get the government back to work.
While the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will continue its food safety inspections of meat and poultry products – the inspection of seafood and dairy products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will cease.
In addition, the AVMA says the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has had to reduce its staff which monitors for foodborne illnesses among people.
Interview with Dr. Ron DeHaven (7:00 mp3)
Since human and animal health are intertwined, the federal government should ensure that these functions continue where needed. That said, the federal bureaucracy is so bloated right now that there are more non-essential functions that should be stopped and eventually eliminated. It is *criminal* that the federal government has grown so large and intruded so much into the lives of American citizens, gradually turning the tables so that citizens are afraid of the government instead of government being at the behest of citizens. That’s no way for a Republic to operate!!!!