Except for the subject of the news story that happened while we were without outside communication, that about describes the weekend. (Our phone went out Friday during a teeny, tiny storm that was barely noticeable. The phone company didn't exactly fall all over themselves getting it fixed...although I am wildly grateful to the phone man who finally came out -on Sunday no less- and got it done.)
I was able to weather the lack of access to the outside world, (other than TV, which is worse than nothing), until the big story broke in a crawl across the MSNBC news show the boss was watching. The discovery of a new case of foot and mouth disease in Great Britain is huge and sorrowful news for farmers there and for agriculture around the world. The dreaded disease of ruminants is so incredibly contagious that it is recommended that people who visit farms abroad where there are outbreaks avoid visiting farms at home for some time. This is because they can transmit the disease via clothing, footwear and even possibly carry it in their lungs. It spreads through contact. Birds cart the virus from farm to farm. It even moves on the wind. Tires. People. Wild animals, pets, almost anything can bring it to the doorstep of a previously healthy farm.
I hope this outbreak is contained before it causes the kind of economic damage and heartbreak that the one in 2001 caused. Thousands of animals were killed, even working border collies from farms that had to kill their cows and sheep. The farmers simply couldn't afford to feed dogs that no longer had jobs. That outbreak was caused by a pig farmer feeding improperly cooked food waste from an airline that had visited an infected country. Officials are hard at work tracing the source of this one. My heart goes out to British farmers who must be worried beyond belief right now.
***Update....after jumping online to write this, I started reading through my favorite blogs and found that Sarpy Sam has several detailed posts on the topic. If it turns out that the virus did indeed "escape" from a government laboratory, the story takes on an even more horrific aspect.
Ah yes...the dreaded foot and mouth. We went to a zoo today here in Hampshire and had to walk through a foot bath to get in. Most people were not thrilled to do so...if they only understood how devastating the disease is.
ReplyDeleteDreadful. So tragic at so many levels.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd have to go hungry before killing my dogs.
I have friends headed for England next week. I wonder if they'll reroute tourist buses.
I'd read they think a lab released it. Unbelievable.
A practice run for biological warfare?
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed scary to think that this could have come from a government lab -- y'know, the governments that promise to protect us.
My heart goes out to those farmers.
Oh man, that's awful.
ReplyDeleteCC, it was so horrible the last time...I surely hope they contain it
ReplyDeleteCathy, same here on the dog thing. I was horrified to read that it came from a lab.
NW, good point!
Laurie, during the mad cow scare in GB we met some farmers there who had no positive cows or anything suspicious at all and yet they had to kill all their older, pure bred, pet Hereford cows. We felt so bad for them. They were touring here in the USA to try to forget what was happening at their farm at home!
The moms were horrified to hear of the outbreak!
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