Foreign and Reportable Animal Diseases

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food continually works closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to maintain surveillance and controls and to disseminate information on foreign and reportable animal diseases. This coordinated, overall risk management approach is essential for Canada to rapidly detect reportable livestock diseases and effectively mitigate any negative impacts should they occur.

While the CFIA is the lead agency for all reportable livestock diseases, the provincial government also has a role to play to ensure continued public health, a safe food supply and protection of our agricultural industries. OMAF provides assistance to the CFIA and public health officials in ongoing investigations, as well as offering ongoing stakeholder support through the Ontario Animal Health Surveillance Network, and dairy and meat inspection services.

One of Ontario's biggest monitoring and prevention assets is our strong network of veterinarians - working in private practice, in government and at provincial and federal abattoirs. Veterinarians are highly trained to recognize symptoms of reportable and other animal diseases and know what to do should any suspicious cases arise.

By law, all reportable diseases, including any suspect case, must be immediately reported to a federal veterinarian. Specific control and eradication measures for these diseases are already established and ready to be implemented if needed.

Early disease detection is instrumental to effective control and eradication.

Reportable Animal Disease Facts Sheets.

 


For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca