Hunting and Dogs: in order to prevent the spread of pseudorabies that has affected many dogs in central Italy, ENPA requests the early closure of the Hunting Season.
The National Animal Protection Authority asked with a letter sent to the Ministry of Health to estimate the closure of the 2013/2014 hunting season as a precautionary measure in the face of the numerous episodes of pseudorabies (Aujeszky's disease) which occurred in many areas of the country. Aujeszky's disease, also known as pseudorabbia - explains the Enpa - is a pathology caused by a viral etiological agent (herpesvirus) which can also lead to the death of the infected subject and which affects numerous species of wild animals (including wild boars are natural reservoirs of the virus; and foxes and rodents), poultry such as small ruminants and cattle and pets, such as dogs and cats that contract the disease by ingesting infected suidae meat, food contaminated by their urine or by contagion caused by injury caused by the bites of infected suidae. For this reason in particular, hunting dogs are especially exposed as they can contract the disease from wild boars during hunting or from the ingestion of raw meat from the suidae that hunters usually feed them. In fact, as learned from information sources, there are currently numerous dogs that have contracted the virus, especially in the regions of central Italy and who, despite the timely intervention of veterinarians, have died.
In the face of this emergency, the National Animal Protection Authority asked the Ministry of Health for clarification on the current spread of the viral pathology and to know what preventive measures have been envisaged to avoid any further spread, thus protecting public health. and animals. And it is precisely for preventive purposes that the ENPA has urged the authorities to foresee the closure of the 2013/2014 hunting season which, in addition to causing the death of millions of defenseless living beings killed by gunfire, could facilitate the transmission of Aujeszky's disease from one species to another, thus creating further damage both to wildlife - already exhausted by the shooting - and to pets.
10 December 2013
Source: ENPA