Saving animals if bird flu hits U.S.

May 12, 2006: 12:00 AM
Best Friends online public forum examines impacts on pets, livestock, wildlife in forecasted pandemic

Kanab, UT (05/12/2006) - Starting May 14 Best Friends Animal Society will host an online forum for news, discussion and firsthand accounts about bird flu as it relates to animals.
"Bird flu - News and Views," will be housed in the Best Friends Network http://network.bestfriends.org/, an online community of people across the country, and the world, who come together on wide variety of animal issues. It will bring together authorities with varying views: leading veterinarians, international experts, animal advocates, and leaders of animal rescue groups to examine the problems arising with bird flu.

Topics to be discussed in the forum include:

• Various means by which bird flu may arrive in the US.
• The medical nature of bird flu - sickness, fatalities and mutations.
• Effectiveness of precautionary measures to protect animals and birds against bird flu.
• Predicting what happens as bird flu arrives, based on experience with other emerging diseases such as SARS, West Nile, Exotic, and Newcastle's.
• Government, public response.
• Asia bird flu experiences.
• Is mass culling of chickens and other birds necessary and can it be done humanely?

Visit http://network.bestfriends.org/ to find out more about this forum and join in the discussion of this important public health issue for animals and people.

###

Best Friends Animal Society works with shelters and rescue groups nationwide to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends operates the nation's largest sanctuary for homeless animals, provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs, and publishes Best Friends, the nation's largest general-interest animal magazine.

"A better world through kindness to animals"