AF should the sale of birds be stopped ?

[Wardy]

Avian Flu has made such a impact in the UK that we now cant take our birds outdoors, thats not a massive issue for me now as is November and its Baltic here right now.
If the ban on taking birds outside is still in place next summer it is what it is the girls health is much more impotant than them getting some sun there diet is good so not a issue.
Free range poultry is non existent here as farmers must now keep there poultry indoors.
However breeders and pet shops are still allowed to sell birds

Surely stopping the sale or rehoming of companion birds should be a additional control of managing AF

 

[Sparkles99]

Have pet birds been getting it?!

 

[Wardy]

Have pet birds been getting it?!

I dont honestly know, but the sale of birds cant be helping the control of AF.

 

[Teckechick]

Don't get me wrong I don't like the selling of pet birds, too many end up in rescues or worse. Birds that get AF don't last long enough to be sold from my understanding of how quickly the deaths occur. AF has been around since the 1800's and it is absolutely horrible to watch a bird that has gotten the virus. I just don't see the pet trade having any impact on it though.

 

[flyzipper]

In my province there were temporary restrictions on co mingling events that affected the pet trade, but there were no bans on sale.
The issue here was also cyclical, with peaks happening during spring and fall migrations, and location dependent (proximity to waterfowl).

All that said as context, I still took my birds outside under close supervision (which is my approach with or without avian flu) because the rewards outweighed the risks (to me).

Have pet birds been getting it?!

This is the key point from my perspective -- is there an actual problem (infection vector) that pet sale restrictions would solve?

 

[owlsthetic]

I feel like it definitely can be cause for concern with wild caught birds for the pet trade. I think the US and EU have regulations that ban import of wild caught birds but I don't think Canada has any in place yet (please correct me if my info's wrong)

That said even with proper regulations illegal trades and smugglers will probably always exist

 

[Zara]

Surely stopping the sale or rehoming of companion birds should be a additional control of managing AF

If we really disect this... A pet bird is bought, I imagine put in some sort of box or carrier, then transported out of the shop and straight into a vehicle to take them home. From there the bird is immediately taken indoors, and now falls under those rules which don´t allow it to be allowed outside.
The birds exposure outside is very minimal. The risks (I assume) would be low.
It´s not like a person would buy a bird, then immediately take them for a stroll down the town centre perched on their shoulder.

I suppose the biggest risk with pet shop birds, is people stepping in infected bird crap then trapesing it through the shop... but I would like to think that employees are disinfecting the floor often. Ultimately those birds are sitting cash for the shops, they needs to protect them.

 

[Wardy]

I am uncomfortable about it to be honest birds will be going into pet shops to replenish stock, foot traffick in some shops will be quite high.

It might be post pandemic paranoia but i cant stop thinking that stopping the movement of all birds you possibly can would be a benefit.

 

[Sparkles99]

I’m not sure that it would make a big difference. I read something about migration being key to its spread, along with overcrowded, factory farms, & the mixing of migrating birds + the overcrowded livestock.

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

Avian Flu has made such a impact in the UK that we now cant take our birds outdoors, thats not a massive issue for me now as is November and its Baltic here right now.
If the ban on taking birds outside is still in place next summer it is what it is the girls health is much more impotant than them getting some sun there diet is good so not a issue.
Free range poultry is non existent here as farmers must now keep there poultry indoors.
However breeders and pet shops are still allowed to sell birds

Surely stopping the sale or rehoming of companion birds should be a additional control of managing AF

I think there was a thread about Petco not selling Conures because they we’re getting sick.

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

I think there was a thread about Petco not selling Conures because they we’re getting sick.

I found the thread
Something odd

 

[Kassiani]

I saw the title and thought: "Wardy! Such language!, lol!" You'll forgive me, but 'AF' means something quite different in social media circles.

I don't know if halting the sale of birds in pet stores would help. No idea. I'm sure it would depend on the habits of the breeders?

 

[Wardy]

I saw the title and thought: "Wardy! Such language!, lol!" You'll forgive me, but 'AF' means something quite different in social media circles.

I don't know if halting the sale of birds in pet stores would help. No idea. I'm sure it would depend on the habits of the breeders?

 

[Emma&pico]

It does scare me and I wouldn’t buy a new a new bird at minute even though I keep separate for a month and vet check I still don’t think I wouldn’t risk it I don’t even know if it’s safe to buy bird food etc from shops normally I order online anyway