crufts dog show

[carrie]

While your Government and port authorities must take any risk seriously, it is highly unlikely that any animals have been infected from farm machinery. As soon as the equipment was known to come from the UK it would be disinfected. Do you know if it was on a farm before the origin was discovered or if it was spotted at customs?

It is now 21 days since the first case of Foot and Mouth was confirmed. Yesterday was a record day - 25 new confirmed cases. 19 today. This makes the total number of farms where all sheep, pigs, cows and goats have either been slaughtered or are awaiting slaughter to a massive 168.
The Government and the Ministry of Agriculture are discussing a range of issues now. Up to 500,000 sheep, so far all healthy animals, may be slaughtered in their fields as the lambing season starts. Animal welfare and the increased risk of infection are the reasons why such a measure is being considered.
Calls for the army to move in to help with the disposal of slaughtered animals are growing - it is estimated that around 50,000 - 90,000 dead animals are lying in fields and farmyards awaiting disposal. Each one has the potential to spread the disease even further via scavengers - foxes, badgers, rats and birds.
The disease is running rampant - the chain of infection has been lost and birds and airborne virus are being blamed for the continuation of the spread.
One case was a shock and it spread fear through the coutryside - 168 was unthinkable three weeks ago and there are no farmers sleeping well tonight.
The tourism trade is now in deep trouble too, the country as a whole losing around £21 million a week in revenue through cancelled bookings alone.
Riding and trekking centres are begining to feel the edge of panic and some are saying that they have one to two weeks left without income before they can no longer keep their horses. As there are no markets open to sell them at.....
This is a nightmare without end.
We are in a safe area at the moment - there are no cases within a hundred miles of us. Thank goodness this community is pulling out all stops and pulling together to try and keep the infection away. There is a £5,000 fine for anyone walking their dog on the Plain or on farmland or on any grass area. There is still a feeling of dread, it seems impossible to think we will escape - what was the unthinkable is like a bomb ticking over the Plain and the community. We are , of course, obsessed. Every morning, we check the new areas infected, every lunchtime and at least four times during the evening, then last thing before bed.
I can only thank you all again for your support for my friends who are just coming out of the shock of events and starting to believe what has happened. They also are just realising how far flung the support has been and how many people are listening and reacting even although they feel so isolated and alone.

[Phred]

Hi, Carrie & Friends ~

Sure wish there was something we could either do or say that would make this terrible curse go away... Know that we are all praying for you.

For anyone who is not sure just what "Foot & Mouth Disease" actually is, here's a link that explains it pretty well. Note that "Foot & Mouth" is not the same as the other dreaded disease "Mad COw Disease". But read for yourselves at: http://www.howstuffworks.com/framed....uestion586.htm

There are a lot of other links to the subject at the bottom of the page.

[wolflady]

Thanks Phred for the info about the Foot and Mouth. I was wondering if it could affect people or our fur legged kitties and doggies, so that helped clear things up. Yikes. I really hope there is an end to all of this. It's scary to see something like this happen, and the plight it has on the people! I wish there was something that could be done. Know that everyone there is in our thoughts and prayers, and we're hoping there will be an end to this nightmare!

[carrie]

We have 205 confirmed cases in the UK.
France has confirmed the first case of Foot and Mouth on the continent - this is so out of control.

[Logan]

This is becoming a nightmare and I feel so terrible for all of our friends in the UK and other European countries. Interestingly enough, we're finally hearing more and more about it on our local news reports. I had heard earlier that the first case had been reported in France. Carrie, please know that we are all devasted about this situation, and know how lucky we are that it isn't affecting us directly.
Our prayer is that things will improve soon for all of you.
Logan

[Gio]

I heard on the news earlier this morning that around 300 sheep are going to be slaughtered in Central Italy for suspected Foot and Mouth disease. There are rumours that Germany and even Argentina might be affected.

[Sudilar]

Is there no end to this terrible disease? It is so devastating!! My prayers are still with you.
Sue

[carrie]

We have 27 new cases today in the UK - the total now, 131.

Italy is awaiting test results on suspected animals.

Argentina has confirmed one case of Foot and Mouth.

The United Arab Emirates have confirmed 8 cases.

Saudi Arabia also have a confirmed case.

I just really don't know what else to say at the moment except that the light at the end of the tunnel is not even on the map. My friends say we are not even in the tunnel yet.

[This message has been edited by carrie (edited March 14, 2001).]

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Carrie, I don't know how you and your friends carry on except by keeping the faith.
England has the brunt of this terrible epidemic, but now the whole world is at risk.
There aren't too many words one can say!

[carrie]

My last post should of read 231 confirmed cases - the total is now 260!!!!
The Government are now planning to kill all healthy animals in a three km radius of any confirmed case of Foot and Mouth. Many farmers are against this, they have worked so hard to keep their stock disease free and have lived under extreme stress. Many are threatening to band together to stop the authorities reaching their stock.

[ownerof3dogs]

I think I heard last night that there is suspition that Lambs in Vermont might have it so they are being tested. But I am not sure if that is true.

[Corinna]

Carrie I know this sounds like an of the wall question, but as a spinner I have a feeling of being part of this whole thing. Can seman and eggs be harvested fron the healthy animals before the slaugher? I work on a project called spin a rare fleece, which we spin fleeces from rare or endangered breeds to then they are shown at clothing shows, fairs,and conventions. I fear we will lose a lot of the rare breeds left in the european countries. I samples can be saved and the used as insemanations to those we have in uninfected countries it could save them. Have you heard of any one doing that kind of thing? We are getting nothing as answers on the couple of spinning and knitting boards I use. Thanks Corinna ( still praying for all)

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Carrie, this is all to much for the people to bear, the press is finally taking this serious over here and reporting the awful slaughter being done over seas. Not much we can do or say but keep our prayers going that there will be an end to this horrible
killing of all those animals and that the farmers will get some relief.

[carrie]

Thank you, again, for your concern and caring - you will never know how much you touch individuals caught in a rollercoaster that nobody seems to have control of. It is appreciated, deeply, by more people than you know.

The total of farms that, tonight, are without beasts to take care of in the morning is a staggering 297.

A case in Shropshire has come to light - the farmer had one goat and 786, yes that is the correct number, sheep that were obvious Foot and Mouth cases. Who knows how long his farm has been infected and how far the infection has spread from his animals..... but you have to have some small sympathy. The creatures he lied about and hid are all now gone.

Any rare breed that is under threat is a lost cause in this country, at least. The moment of birth, the first breath is the moment of infection. This is such a relentless disease that if embryos are not already stored, sadly, now is not the time to do it. On that score, at least, Britain can be proud - we have such a huge collection of rare domestic as well as wild animals, most of which are part of the international "Frozen Zoo" project.

[Karen]

Hoof-and-Mouth, 260 cases

Hiding from this disease
Seems as fruitless as hiding from the air
As hiding from the changing seasons
As hiding from the windy rain
that finds you no matter what you hide behind

Keeping your animals safe and healthy
Amidst hysteria of people and government
Seems as likely as keeping your feet dry
When crossing a rushing stream on moss-slick rocks
Possible, and so hard you try, possible
But so improbable, it seems

Watching your neighbors' livelyhoods
The inn-keeper, the butcher, as well as the farmer
Go up, literally and figuratively, in smoke
Is as heart-wrenching as seeing a sudden flood wash away a home
And being helpless, from your safe hilltop,
To do anything but cry out in despair

Knowing the pain and heartache you share
The fears and dread of farmers
in Europe, in Argentina, in our own Vermont
The bleak sight of empty countryside
No soft bleat of sheep of shuffling snort of hog
And knowing we cannot help
Tears at our hearts like a sharp rock in a brook-bed
When it meets an unsuspecting bare foot

The cold brookwater washes away the blood
But cannot touch the pain
As we can offer sympathy and understanding
But cannot hope to help heal the wounds
Your battered countrymen bear, but still, we offer