Influenza measures for pets in the making

The government said yesterday that it is drawing up plans to provide protection shelters and other assistance for household pets whose owners fall victim to the H1N1 influenza.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the move follows reports in the U.S. state of Iowa of the first case of the H1N1 virus in a cat last week.



The ministry said the measures would be in aims to isolate domesticated pets like cats from their infected owners. It recommended isolating the pet from the owner for at least five days and providing vetinary examinations.

The ministry said it will begin developing H1N1 flu vaccines for domesticated animals and publicize the animal protection measures through a booklet and related internet site -- www.animal.go.kr

The ministry added that it would conduct inspections of the avian flu quarantine systems of local administrative governments for chickens, ducks and other fowl until Nov. 30 as worries over the virulent avian flu grows during the migratory bird season.

It urged farmers to be ever more vigilant and cooperative in taking preventive measures, as a breakout of a virulent form of avian flu would lead to more "social chaos" and economic losses than already caused by the spread of the H1N1 virus.

(sohjung@heraldm.com)



By Yoo Soh-jung