Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
Our province is currently under threat of a Highly Pathogenic strain of Avian Influenza. This disease is deadly to birds and is highly contagious. Avian Influenza is zoonotic. Meaning it can be spread from birds to humans. If you encounter a bird or group of birds who display any of the following symptoms:
Do not approach or touch the bird(s). Contact you local SPCA, Humane Society or Animal Control Agencies or contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.
If you encounter mass mortality or a cluster of dead wild birds without an obvious explanation don’t touch, handle or approach, but contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative immediately.
We (as a wildlife rehab facility) have new regulations we have to comply with. If we don’t follow the proper procedures as dictated to us by Canadian Wildlife Services and we end up with a case of Avian Influenza every bird (or even every animal) on the premises runs the risk of needing to be euthanized. If we do follow the procedure to the letter and we have a positive case the consequences will be less severe.
It is therefor imperative that you follow all our directions to the letter. If you find a bird with any of the above mentioned symptoms that can not be easily explained as a result of trauma don’t bring it out, but contact you local SPCA, Humane Society or Animal Control Agency.
If you find an injured bird you want to bring out we will walk you through a questionnaire over the phone. Understand we ask these questions for your safety as well as ours and the animals in our care. Please have patience.
When you arrive with wildlife at our place. Stay with your car. Do not under any circumstance wander around. We know you are there and someone will be with you as soon as possible. Please follow the directives provided to you.
If you are bringing us a bird we will most likely need to use an HPAI rapid test to ensure the bird is HPAI negative prior to bringing the bird inside. We might also need to perform some other types of test outside. Don’t be alarmed by this, it is as per the protocol we have been given. Depending on what you are brining us we might need to change our clothing first (again for everyones safety).
The longs and shorts of it if you find a bird and unsure what is wrong call in professionals and don’t touch the bird. If you have an injured bird or any other wildlife you are bringing to us please follow our directions.
This way we hope to keep everyone and all the wildlife in our care safe.
(keep in mind that wildbirds can be asymptomatic and still spread HPAI)
resource for people with backyard chickens:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)- How to prevent and detect disease in backyard flocks and pet birds