These are precautions to take to avoid introducing foot-and-mouth disease to Canada. The list was compiled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Alberta Agriculture.
- Avoid visiting countries experiencing an acute outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease until it is contained. If travel is necessary, do not visit farms or areas with livestock. After returning to Canada, avoid all contact with farms, farm equipment on a livestock operation, animal feeds, slaughter plants or zoos for at least two weeks.
- Do not bring meat, dairy or other animal products back from countries experiencing foot-and-mouth disease. This includes livestock products like semen, embryos and hides.
- Disinfect all clothes (dry-clean), footwear (best is to burn), and equipment such as cameras that have been in contact with livestock operations outside of Canada. Take a thorough shower or bath before arriving home to remove the virus from skin and hair. Thoroughly clean under nails.
- Prevent farm or ranch visits by anyone who has been to the United Kingdom, or other affected countries in the last 14 days.
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Although humans are not susceptible to foot-and- mouth disease, they can serve as carriers.
If visitors must come to the farm, they should take additional sanitary precautions such as washing and disinfecting all personal effects and equipment that have accompanied them.
It is particularly important to clean and disinfect footwear. A solution of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar is adequate disinfection.
- Visitors should wear disposable coveralls and disposable plastic boots, or clean cloth coveralls and boots supplied by the establishment.
- Do not host farm tours or allow visits of anyone who has recently visited or resides in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland while the outbreak continues. The same rules apply to other countries that may subsequently become infected with foot-and-mouth disease during this outbreak.
- Suggest to European relatives that they reschedule their visits until the outbreak in their country has been contained.
- Do not feed garbage or restaurant waste to wild boars or pigs. Garbage may contain imported meat made from imported animals. Meat or dairy products from outside Canada must not be fed to pet pigs.
