One of the beagles that forms part of the US Department of Agriculture's 'Beagle Brigade'.
ADVERTISEMENT
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will be training and adding 60 beagle teams to customs and border patrol checks at key US commercial, sea and air ports in a bid to keep African swine fever (ASF) out of the country.
The virus has recently ripped through China, resulting in the death and culling of almost 1m pigs, with no sign of the outbreak slowing down.
Although humans are not susceptible to the disease, there are no cures or vaccines which means it is usually deadly and highly infectious through cross-contamination.
ADVERTISEMENT
Europe
Last September, ASF was discovered in wild boar in Belgium and early this year another two confirmed cases of ASF in wild boar 1km from the French border prompted French authorities to create a boar-free zone spanning several kilometres along their shared border with Belgium.
Polish authorities have also stated that they intend to cull up to 185,000 wild boar in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Department of Agriculture in Ireland has asked the public not to bring any pork products from abroad into the country.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will be training and adding 60 beagle teams to customs and border patrol checks at key US commercial, sea and air ports in a bid to keep African swine fever (ASF) out of the country.
The virus has recently ripped through China, resulting in the death and culling of almost 1m pigs, with no sign of the outbreak slowing down.
Although humans are not susceptible to the disease, there are no cures or vaccines which means it is usually deadly and highly infectious through cross-contamination.
Europe
Last September, ASF was discovered in wild boar in Belgium and early this year another two confirmed cases of ASF in wild boar 1km from the French border prompted French authorities to create a boar-free zone spanning several kilometres along their shared border with Belgium.
Polish authorities have also stated that they intend to cull up to 185,000 wild boar in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Department of Agriculture in Ireland has asked the public not to bring any pork products from abroad into the country.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS