Spread Of "mad Cow" Disease To Endangered Zoo Animals

EDM number 751 in 1989-90, proposed by Roland Boyes on 19/03/1990.

That this House expresses its great concern at the spread of mad cow disease as highlighted by Zoo Check; is horrified that five animals, an eland, gemsbok, nyala, kudu and endangered Arabian oryx have died since 1986, with the most recent cases, the oryx and kudu being recorded at London Zoo in March and October 1989, respectively; notes that while steps have been taken to limit the outbreak, the secrecy surrounding this devastating situation should be of great concern to all involved in wildlife conservation; calls upon the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to act urgently to ensure that bovine spongiform encephalopathy in zoo stock should be an internationally notifiable disease to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, the World Health Organisation, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens; that there should be an immediate ban on the movement of all potentially at risk species between collections, both nationally and internationally, pending further information about the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and use of infected foodstuffs; that the National Federation of Zoos, immediately release details to all zoos, federation and non-federation , about the cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy so far uncovered; that urgent recommendations be made to zoos around the world concerning the recycling of zoo animals; and that all animals from recognised at risk species which to this date, have been transferred between collections in this country and abroad should be located, identified and monitored.

This motion has been signed by a total of 37 MPs.