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Animals > Animal Diseases > Foot and Mouth Disease  

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
Questions and Answers

Public/Travellers

Q1 What is being done to prevent foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from entering Canada?
A1 Strict measures are in place to prevent FMD from entering Canada. For example, live animals are subject to comprehensive import controls. Only cooked or hermetically sealed meat is allowed into Canada from countries that have FMD. Travellers entering Canada are required to declare all foods, plants, animals and their products. Inspectors are using specially trained detector dogs in all major airports to sniff out concealed food, plant, animal, or fish products.
Q2 What do we mean by a FMD-infected country?
A2 Any country that has at least one confirmed case of FMD would be considered infected.
Q3 If I travel in a country infected by FMD, what precautions should I follow ?
A3 On your return to Canada, the CFIA recommends that you:
  • Declare all meat, dairy or other animal products that you are bringing back to Canada.
  • Avoid visiting farms in countries infected with FMD. If you visited a farm while abroad, make sure that the clothing and footwear you wore during your visit are free from soil or manure. Clean and disinfect your footwear. Dry cleaning of clothes is recommended.
  • Avoid contact with susceptible animals, including farm and zoo animals, and wildlife in national or provincial parks, for 5 days after returning to Canada.
  • Although domestic pets are not susceptible to FMD, the CFIA recommends the same precautions for pets if you are returning from a FMD-infected country. A thorough washing with shampoo or soap and water is sufficient.

This information is also available on the CFIA’s Web site.
Q4 Are pet dogs and cats allowed into Canada from FMD-infected countries?
A4 Dogs and cats are not susceptible to FMD. Nevertheless, the CFIA’s recommended precautionary measures should be taken when importing dogs and cats, and a thorough washing with shampoo or soap and water is sufficient.
Q5 Are the recommended cleaning and disinfection procedures sufficient?
A5 Yes, if followed closely, the CFIA’s recommended disinfection procedures are sufficient.
Q6 What products can I use to disinfect my belongings?
A6 To disinfect your clothes, you can machine wash them in hot water, or have them dry cleaned. To clean and disinfect footwear and other items, you can refer to the following methods:

  • A mixture of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar for 30 minutes

  • Sodium carbonate (washing soda) 100 grams per litre of water for 30 minutes

  • Citric acid powder (2 grams per litre of water) for 30 minutes
Q7 What else is the CFIA doing to reduce the risk of bringing FMD virus into Canada?
A7 The CFIA is monitoring the status of FMD worldwide and is working with other federal departments, provincial veterinary authorities, and industry to exchange information and raise awareness, as well as providing the public with information through its Web site.
Q8 How is FMD transmitted or spread? Can the virus survive and for how long?
A8 The virus can be spread to healthy livestock through:

  1. meat or dairy products, which are made from infected animals and fed to livestock (the virus can survive for several months in certain products);

  2. direct or close contact with infected animals or contact with premises where the virus is present;

  3. contact with footwear, clothing or equipment contaminated with the virus (where it can survive for up to 5 days).

 
Q9 Can I contract FMD?
A9 As a general rule, people do not get this disease. Under certain conditions, however, transmission to humans has occurred and results in no more than a light rash. FMD should not be confused with a different human disease called hand, foot and mouth disease. You should consult your local health authority or your physician if you have any specific concerns.
Q10 What can be done to obtain a refund for cancelled trips to FMD-infected countries?
A10 Individuals must make their own decisions about whether to travel to FMD-infected countries. The CFIA recommends that travellers follow its biosecurity measures; however, the CFIA is not responsible for trip cancellations. Travellers wishing to discuss a trip cancellation refund should contact their travel agent.
Q11 I will be travelling to a FMD-infected country -- can I bring some cheese and chocolate back?
A11 The CFIA will allow entry into Canada only those products with an approved processing method, such as pasteurization. Please declare all products upon arrival in Canada. As a general rule, meat and dairy products will not be allowed from an infected country, but chocolate that is commercially prepared and packaged for retail sale will be permitted.
Q12 What happens if I do not declare any such products in my possession?
A12 The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) can impose penalties of up to $400 on the spot if prohibited or restricted items are not declared. Individuals who are caught smuggling such items will have the product seized and could face further enforcement actions ranging from the imposition of fines to prosecution in the criminal courts. False declarations to CBSA are also punishable by law.
Q13 If I travel and am a farmer, do I have to respect the 5-day quarantine?
A13 Contact with farm animals is not recommended for 5 days. If you are travelling to an FMD-infected country and returning to your farm, the advice to travellers on cleaning and disinfection should be strictly followed.
Q14 What precautions are we taking to make sure military personnel and equipment do not introduce FMD?
A14 All troops, personal effects, and equipment entering Canada are subject to strict procedures for cleaning and disinfection to prevent the transmission of FMD.

The Department of National Defence has developed, in co-operation with the CFIA, a national directive on biosecurity measures for incoming personnel, personal effects and equipment.

Disease Control in Canada (includes Vaccination)

Q15 Does the CFIA have an emergency preparedness/response plan in place for animal health emergencies?
A15 Emergency preparedness is a key part of what the CFIA does. Animal health emergency management plans provide for a swift response in the event of a foreign disease outbreak. The CFIA has developed a detailed emergency response plan entitled: "Hazard Specific Plan," which is revised regularly to improve its response capability.
Q16 Would Canada be ready to act if an outbreak of FMD occurred?
A16 Canada is ready to act rapidly and effectively to control and eradicate FMD. The current strategy is designed to quickly identify all exposed premises, depopulate exposed and potentially exposed high-risk animals, decontaminate the environment to avoid further spread, and to regain Canada’s FMD freedom without delay.
Q17 Who is responsible for controlling the spread of a disease during an outbreak?
A17 The CFIA has the lead in implementing a foreign animal disease emergency response plan. This authority is legislated under the Health of Animals Act. Controlling the spread of a foreign animal disease, however, is a shared responsibility. Co-operation and support between all levels of government and the livestock industry is key to the successful control and eradication of a disease that could affect the health of Canada’s livestock population and the economy.
Q18 How would Canada control FMD if it were found here?
A18 There is a comprehensive disease eradication strategy for FMD that has been developed in conjunction with regulatory bodies and other stakeholders in Canada and North America. Canada’s current control strategy is to quarantine infected premises and the premises surrounding the infected premises, slaughter exposed animals, and control movement out of the quarantine zones.
Q19 How would the CFIA dispose of FMD-infected animals?
A19 The CFIA would dispose of affected animals by incineration or burial in agreement with provincial or municipal environment authorities.
Q20 Can I buy vaccine for FMD to vaccinate my animals?
A20 No. FMD vaccine is not available on the market in Canada. Canada’s policy does not allow FMD vaccination except in certain clearly defined situations, such as in the face of an overwhelming outbreak. This policy is based on good disease control principles and, at the same time, gives Canada the widest possible access to international trade.
Q21 Why does Canada not vaccinate for FMD to limit its effect if there is an outbreak here?
A21 It is not good disease control strategy for us to vaccinate for FMD because:

  1. there are several types of the virus and it is not possible to predict which type Canadian animals may be exposed to. To maximize their effectiveness, vaccines must be developed for the specific type of FMD that is present.

  2. if an animal is exposed to the virus shortly after vaccination, it may become a carrier and spread the virus without showing any signs of infection;

  3. vaccination is not effective in a small percentage of animals;

  4. for most animals, two vaccinations at prescribed intervals are required, although this depends upon the species and the effectiveness of the vaccine for the particular virus;

  5. blood tests cannot distinguish vaccinated animals from infected animals;

  6. producers and veterinarians would not become aware that the disease had entered the country as quickly as they would if every animal were susceptible and showed signs of the disease;

 
Q22 What would be the effect on trade if we were to vaccinate before the disease is detected?
A22 Most industrialized countries, including the U.S., do not import from countries that practice FMD vaccination, even if they can prove that they do not have FMD.

The Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the world standard setting body for international trade in animals, lists countries and zones of the world that have met criteria with respect to FMD. Canada and its major trading partners are on the "FMD free without vaccination" list. The site address is www.oie.int.

Countries of the world that have been struggling to control FMD may opt to vaccinate for a period of time. To be recognized as a country on the "FMD free without vaccination" list, they must prove that they have not had an outbreak of FMD for at least two years and have not vaccinated for at least 12 months, among other criteria.
Q23 Would Canada consider vaccinating if FMD entered the country?
A23 Yes, after careful consideration, Canada may ‘emergency vaccinate’, as is now being done in parts of Europe. Vaccination is considered to be the third line of defence, after prevention and disease control. In some circumstances, vaccination may reduce the number of animals that have to be slaughtered in the long term.
Q24 If we had an outbreak, how long would it be before our trading partners accepted our FMD-free status again and resumed trade? How long would it be if we didn’t vaccinate? How long would it be if we did vaccinate?
A24 While many factors will come into play when a country considers whether to start importing from a country that has experienced an outbreak of FMD, we (or our trading partners) will be guided in part by the OIE guidelines stating:

  • when FMD occurs in an FMD free country or zone where vaccination is not practiced, the following waiting periods are required to regain FMD free status:

    1. 3 months after the last case, where stamping-out and serological surveillance are applied; or

    2. 3 months after the slaughter of the last vaccinated animal where stamping-out, serological surveillance and emergency vaccination are applied.

To regain "FMD free without vaccination" status, all the vaccinates must eventually be slaughtered.

 
Q25 How long would trade be stopped if we were to opt for control with vaccination and did not slaughter vaccinates?
A25 If we did not slaughter vaccinates after an outbreak of FMD, we would be listed by the OIE as a country that is "FMD free with vaccination." To move to our present status, we would have to prove that we have not had an outbreak of FMD for at least two years and have not vaccinated for at least 12 months, among other criteria.
Q26 If we decide to vaccinate, would we be able to get enough vaccine? Would it be the right vaccine?
A26 Canada, the U.S., and Mexico are the members of the North American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank. The purpose of the bank is to hold FMD concentrated antigens, which can be finished into vaccine in the event of a FMD outbreak in one of the member countries. Vaccines specific to the virus entering Canada would have to be requested.
Q27 Is there compensation available to Canadians for animals that may be destroyed due to FMD?
A27 The federal government provides financial compensation to owners whose animals are ordered destroyed under the Health of Animals Act as part of an official program to control or eradicate diseases considered a threat to Canada’s livestock population. The goal of compensation is to encourage owners to report disease in their herds and flocks at the first sign, to prevent or reduce the spread of disease, to allow trace back to the source, and to help owners rebuild their herds.

Owners are awarded the market value of each animal ordered destroyed, up to a maximum amount prescribed in legislation. These maximum amounts vary by species.
Q28 Is the Canadian government doing all it can to prevent the introduction of this disease into Canada? What if I don't agree with procedures taken by the federal government, who can I complain to?
A28 The Government is taking every recommended precaution to prevent FMD entering Canada. For details please refer to the CFIA’s FMD site. If you have comments on the actions being taken, you may wish to contact your federal Member of Parliament.


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