Important Post - Please Read

[TAWhatley]

Dear Members,

Please go to the Emergency section and read the post from Bigbird (Carl) titled ALERT. This is important and especially so to any of you in Southern California or any who are receiving birds from this area.

Terry Whatley

[bigbird]

Here is the information that Terry is talking about:

Deone Roberts
American Racing Pigeon Union
P.O. Box 18465
Oklahoma City, OK 73154-0465
1-800-755-2778 or 405-848-5801
aupromo@aol.com

ALERT

This has serious implications for folks in Southern California.
Per Dr. Carol Cardona, there has been an outbreak of Exotic Newcastle
Disease
(ExND) in 8 flocks of gamecocks in East Los Angeles. This disease is very
closely related to pigeon paramyxovirus (PMV-1) and pigeons can get it, shed
it and spread it. THE VACCINE USED FOR PMV-1 DOES NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR
EXOTIC NEWCASTLES. Exotic Newcastle Disease (ExND) mortality is 90-95% (28
of
30 birds infected on one property died within 24 hours and the other two had
to be destroyed!).
Dr. Cardona states that there is no involvement yet in pigeons, however,
there is no question that pigeons will be a focus if an eradication program
becomes necessary or if local authorities deem they are potential vectors.
"If the disease does not eradicate the pigeons, the program to eradicate the
disease certainly will!"
The symptoms of the disease are very similar to normal PMV-1:
listlessness, droopiness, lethargy and sudden death. The only way the
veternary community can offer to stop this disease is to stop the
congregating of the birds-stop all movement and all mixing or co-mingling of
the birds statewide! Do not send any birds to anyone, do not receive any
birds, do not let your birds out, do not train, race or move your birds for
any reason.
There are a number of issues that confuse this situation-it is not as
simple as just stopping all racing or all training. It is futurity time in
the area and a lot of prestige is on the line, but there could be far more
than just winning a futurity involved. This is one of those instances that
might require extraordinary cooperation and the local flyers and the AU
itself may gain a lot later if everyone sacrifices a little for right now.
I think we should talk to the State organization and ask for the
broadest
cooperation on this issue. The point is that we need to do this in a hurry
and we need to get some concrete action very soon. Dr. Cardona advises us
that there is/was a television news conference scheduled at 2:00 and to be
conducted by the CDFA (2:00 local time). I do not have any means to see it,
but I would be very interested in the content of that conference.