Page 45 - Chow Life - 2016 Winter

Special Report

Chow Chow Club, Inc. National Animal Interest

Alliance (NAIA) Conference
November 5-6, 2016
by Margaret DiCorleto

The NAIA conference, “Working with Animals at the is the importation of puppies arriving in the US illegally
Intersection of Love and Science,” was a celebration of (too young or improperly vaccinated). APHIS has a
25 years of advocacy and education, and an affirmation Customer Call Center which can answer questions
of the connections, appreciation, and healing that occur about traveling with pets overseas: 1-844-820-2234.
when our love of animals is informed by the power of Gleeson Murphy DVM, MPH, PhD, gave an overview
science. I was fortunate to be able to attend this year’s and update of CDC (Center for Disease Control)
event. animal importation regulations. The aim of CDC
The conference was two full days of speakers with Animal Import Regulations for Dogs is to try to prevent
a wide range of topics-everything from GMOs to animal diseases that affect people from entering the
X-linked myotubular myopathy! The speakers had country. There are regulations for turtles, tortoises,
impressive credentials in research, veterinary medicine, and terrapins and for nonhuman primates. Dogs and
and the law. cats must be healthy at the port of entry into the US.
The following is a brief summary of all the topics and Sick animals are supposed to be sent back. The US
highlights of some that I think deserve more attention. was considered Canine Rabies free in 2007, but rabid
Starting the day was a presentation by Cathleen animals have been imported.
Enright, PhD, of the Pet Food Institute. She discussed Arnold Goldman DVM and Patti Strand, NAIA
the safety of GMOs which provide us with safe, Co-founder and President and winner of 2015 AKC
affordable, and abundant food and refuted the idea that Lifetime Achievement Award, discussed the extent and
GMOs are unsafe, untested, and deadly. effects of rescue dog transport, the growing problem of
An especially interesting topic was presented “Retail Rescue.” Retail Rescue is a new term that refers
by David J. Waters DVM, PhD, which focused on to transporting dogs from one location to another for
improving the lives of animals and people. His work re-homing. Shelters are increasingly operating as pet
focuses on comparative medicine, aging, and the stores, i.e. commercial businesses, not charities.
aging-cancer connection. He studied a group of old The problems associated with this practice include
Rottweilers which seemed to be cancer resistant even the spread of disease and the saturation of the
though it is a breed prone to developing cancer. He marketplace with imported dogs that displace local
found that Rottie bitches live longer than males unless dogs from adoption or sale by responsible breeders.
they are spayed before they are 4 years old. Dogs over Many imported dogs are not vaccinated for rabies
9 years of age were less likely to die of cancer than of and can carry other diseases such as evidenced by
some other problem. Similarly, people who live to be the new Screw Worm outbreak. Many states do not
100 typically die of something other than cancer. collect data about imports, but Oregon and Colorado
Kay Carter-Corker DVM is the Director of National figures reflect how serious the problem is. For example,
Policy Staff USDA-APHIS-Animal Care. (USDA is in Colorado, in 2015 over 28,000 dogs from out
the Department of Agriculture and APHIS is the of state were transferred in. This number is about
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.) USDA double from 2012! NAIA has a campaign that would
Animal Care is charged with ensuring the welfare of address the problem on the state and the federal levels
animals and APHIS Center for Animal Welfare has emphasizing that shelters and rescue groups should
specialists for different species. Areas that USDA is operate with transparency and that the import of
currently involved in are the Horse Protection Act dogs from countries with a high incidence of rabies
Regulations (the practice of soring in Tennessee or other zoonotic diseases or parasites be prohibited.
Walking Horses) and Public Contact with Dangerous For additional information go to www.naiaonline.org/
Animals (prohibiting the handling of neonate cubs). naia-library/articles/humane-or-insane/ The NAIA
Dog related activities include Retail Pet Store Rules, legislative person can be reached at sara.
Dog Breeders Guide and Canine Brucellosis (available chisnelle@naiatrust.org
on line at https.www.aphis.usda.gov) . Also of concern Pat Shipman, PhD discussed the impact of
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