How Austria Responds to the Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Slovakia and Hungary

On Saturday, due to the foot-and-mouth disease rampant in the neighboring countries of Slovakia and Hungary, 24 border crossings will be temporarily closed, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Disinfectant mats have been laid out to combat the disease.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Salzburg and Lower Austria Cancel Cattle Show

The Maishofen Federal Pinzgauer Show and the Association Cattle Show, planned for Sunday in Salzburg and well-known in the region, have been canceled. "Although there are no indications of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease occurring in Austria, utmost caution is advised to avoid unnecessary gatherings of animals, etc.," the organizers stated on their homepage. In Lower Austria, the Pielachtal cattle show, also planned for Sunday, has fallen victim to the virus, as the Lower Austrian Genetic Cattle Breeding Association announced on its homepage. The breeding cattle auction in Bergland in the Lower Austrian district of Melk, which was supposed to take place on Wednesday, was also canceled. "If a positive case were to occur in connection with the auction, all stocks of the attending businesses would be classified as contact businesses - with massive economic consequences for all involved," it was stated.

Petting Zoos Partially Closed Due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Measures have also been taken by Schloss Hof (Gänserndorf district) near the border with Slovakia. Due to current official regulations, visits and contact with susceptible species in the animal world (petting zoo) are "restricted until further notice," it was announced. Last week, "comprehensive preventive measures for all susceptible animal species were implemented and the entire stock was relocated to the outdoor paddocks," thus being housed far from the visitor area, it was stated upon request.

Additionally, disinfectant mats and hand sanitizers have been installed at three entrances to the Schloss Hof grounds, and cycling and walking paths around Schloss Hof have been closed. Furthermore, a double fence system has been erected. Schloss Hof is located in the surveillance zone. About 100 animals were tested at the end of last week, "all samples were negative," it was stated upon request.

The Weißer Zoo animal park with camel theater in Kernhof in the municipality of St. Aegyd am Neuwalde (Lilienfeld district), which starts its season on Saturday, is also installing a disinfectant mat. Additionally, hand sanitizers will be provided. Petting the animals will be restricted, it was stated upon request. In the Haag animal park (Amstetten district), animals are not allowed to be fed.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Harmless to Humans

In the Herberstein animal park in Eastern Styria, the petting zoo has been closed as a precaution. It is described as a preventive measure to respond to the spread of FMD in neighboring countries. It is purely a precautionary measure, it was emphasized on Facebook. The virus is harmless to humans but can be transmitted to hoofed animals via shoes and clothing.

In Burgenland, the Pamhagen steppe animal park (Neusiedl am See district) also remains temporarily closed. The 13-hectare area, home to around 50 animal species, is located just a few kilometers from the Hungarian border and is also in the "observation zone" established in Northern and Central Burgenland, where all businesses will be monitored in the coming weeks. When the steppe animal park will reopen is still unclear.

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Also Responds to Foot-and-Mouth Disease

The family-friendly adventure farm Landgut Cobenzl in Vienna also announced on its homepage that it would temporarily close due to foot-and-mouth disease. The exception: Pre-registered groups would be accompanied by a supervisor who ensures that children do not come into contact with the cloven-hoofed animals. Additionally, a barrier has been installed to separate the cloven-hoofed animals, according to the website.

The University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni) has also responded: Since last Friday, a disease control mat has been placed at the entrance to the campus. No cloven-hoofed animals, camels, or horses from Slovakia and Hungary are being accepted. Animal transports with the Vetmeduni animal rescue are also not taking place at the moment.

The Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn has also recently taken precautions to protect its animal population. For safety reasons, the petting zoo has been temporarily closed. Further steps include the temporary removal of the Turopolje pigs and a partial closure of the Tirolerhof.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease: No Special Measures in Salzburg, Carinthia, and Tyrol

There are currently no special regulations at the Salzburg Zoo. However, the zoo, located near Hellbrunn Palace, has internally increased its hygiene measures, said spokeswoman Ulrike Ulmann. This means, for example, that no one is allowed to approach the animals in street clothes, and the keepers must change their clothing, according to Ulmann.

At the animal sanctuary Gut Aiderbichl, with its three visitable farms in Henndorf (Flachgau), Iffeldorf near Munich, and Deggendorf in Bavaria, preparations are being made to transport the cloven-hoofed animals away from the three visitor farms. These are to be taken to farms next week where no visitors are allowed, said managing director and foundation board member Dieter Ehrengruber to APA. He could not specify the exact number of animals, "but it will be 200 to 300," said Ehrengruber.

In the Schmiding Zoo in Upper Austria, the passage through the petting zoo has been closed. In the Linz Zoo, the gate that allows the dwarf goats to come out to the visitors has been closed to prevent direct contact, according to an APA inquiry. Otherwise, the approach is still more of a wait-and-see: The existing hygiene measures are being adhered to even more meticulously than usual, and experts are regularly consulting on the situation to be able to react if necessary.

In the Alpine Zoo in Innsbruck, "everything is as usual" for visitors, said zoo director André Stadler to APA. However, they are prepared in case foot-and-mouth disease approaches and there are official warnings. Quarantine areas are prepared, and the farm and ibex enclosure would have to be closed to the public in an emergency.

No precautionary measures have been taken in Carinthia either. The Alpine Wildlife Park Feld am See will only reopen its doors to visitors seasonally in May. The situation is being closely monitored at the Rosegg Animal Park: "We are in close contact with the authorities and are in exchange with zoo and wildlife park associations," said the park's director, Emanuel Liechtenstein, on Thursday afternoon in response to an APA inquiry. Currently, there is still very little frequency, which is why "no restrictions are deemed necessary at this time." "Of course, we are keeping an eye on the situation. We know what precautionary measures we would have to take - this goes as far as closure. At the moment, we see no risks for our animals and visitors," said Liechtenstein.

In the Alpine Wildlife Park Pfänder in Bregenz, precautionary measures are being taken. For example, work shoes are changed before entering the enclosures, work equipment is disinfected more frequently, and care is taken to use the equipment only for the respective area, according to an APA inquiry. Vigilance due to the viral disease is also present in the Feldkirch Wildlife Park. "It doesn't affect us at the moment, but we are in close contact with the authorities," said operations manager Christian Ammann. If there are any guidelines, they will be implemented immediately. In an emergency, this could lead to a closure.

(APA/Red)

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