- Title: USA: AIRPORTS REMAIN ON ALERT FOR FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.
- Date: 10th March 2001
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A (MARCH 9, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV/CU: DOG SEARCHING FOR BEEF AND PRODUCE AT JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT/ INSPECTOR TALKING TO PASSENGERS AT JFK/ "WILMA" THE BEAGLE BARKS (3 SHOTS) 0.16 2. MV: PASSENGER PUTS BAGS ON CONVEYER BELT/ INSPECTOR SEARCHES BAG FOR CONTRABAND/ BAGS SITTING BESIDE CONVEYOR BELT/ PASSENGERS TALKING TO INSPECTOR (5 SHOTS) 0.41 3. GV: PASSENGERS ROLLING BAGS AT JFK 0.46 4. GV/MV: "WILMA", THE BEAGLE, SEARCHES FOR PRODUCE AND MEAT/ INSPECTOR TALKS TO PASSENGERS/ BEAGLE LOOKS UP AT INSPECTOR/ PASSENGERS RETRIEVING BAGS (5 SHOTS) 1.04 5. CU/GV: SIGN WARNING OF HOOF AND MOUTH DISEASE/ PASSENGERS WALK PAST SIGN (2 SHOTS) 1.14 6. MV/GV/MV: INSPECTOR SEARCHES BAG/ INSPECTOR TALKS TO PASSENGER/ BAGS ROLLING ON CONVEYOR (4 SHOTS) 1.37 7. MCU: BEAGLE LOOKING AT BAGS ON CART (2 SHOTS) 1.58 8. GV: BAGGAGE TERMINAL AT J.F.K. 2.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 25th March 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAVCL7O8AUJN96XQQPT2PKBFD5
- Story Text: With increasing reports of foot and Mouth Disease in
Europe, the United States Department of Agriculture is in a
state of heightened alert at airports and other ports of
entry. The Department is stepping up inspections to prevent
any illegal importation of beef and contamination of cattle
before it can start in the U.S.
The USDA said on Thursday it has placed its Beagle
Brigade and about 1,800 animal health inspectors on
"heightened alert" at all major U.S. airports and other ports
of entry amid fears of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth
disease.
"We have our detector dog teams out there that are sniffing
the bags, looking for animal products and other indicators of
risk," said Richard Dunkle, deputy administrator for USDA's
Animal and Health Inspection Service said during a
teleconference on Thursday (March 8).
The foot-sniffing, baggage-checking beagles wear a distinct
green jacket with "Protecting American Agriculture" stamped on
one side of it. The dogs have long been used by USDA
inspectors at airports to help detect prohibited fruit and
meat carried by arriving passengers.
Foot-and-mouth disease causes blisters on the hooves and
mouths of sheep, pigs, cattle and goats followed by severe
weight loss. While humans are rarely affected, they can
inadvertently spread the disease with contaminated shoes or
clothing.
Ever since Britain discovered its first case of
foot-and-mouth last month, countries have been on high alert
for the dreaded disease.
Passengers arriving in the United States must answer a U.S.
Customs questionnaire that asks where they are coming from and
what they are bringing into the country.
Dunkle said passengers will be fined up to $1,000 if they
smuggle illegal food products into the country.
"We are definitely enforcing this," Dunkle said.
The USDA said it has added about a hundred animal health
inspectors to its team of 1,800 to monitor ports of entry.
If a passenger is suspected by USDA officials of possibly
carrying the virus, department officials could choose to
disinfect the traveler's shoes, clothing and other goods.
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