ASF: Private land may be entered for cadaver testing
As African swine fever can be transmitted not only by live wild boar, but also by dead animals, it is important for animal disease control to recover carcasses in good time. For this reason, search teams have been travelling along the Hessian state border with North Rhine-Westphalia for some time to track down and dispose of carcasses. To allow these teams to enter private meadows, fields and forests, the Kassel Regional Council has issued a general order to this effect, which also applies to the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg.
Towns and municipalities in Waldeck-Frankenberg affected
This affects towns and municipalities in Waldeck-Frankenberg along the state border with North Rhine-Westphalia in a ten-kilometre-wide strip. The order stipulates that the specialised dog search teams of the state of Hesse may also enter private property there to search for dead wild boar. Drones are also used for the search.
Support search teams and grant access
"So far, there has been no known case of African swine fever in the district. In addition to the immediate measures taken by the state, we are therefore also doing everything we can to prevent the animal disease from entering Waldeck-Frankenberg," emphasises First District Councillor Karl-Friedrich Frese. "The general ruling from the Kassel Regional Council regulates the legal framework so that the search teams can also search areas near the state border in Waldeck-Frankenberg. This will help to contain the epidemic." The First District Councillor therefore calls on all affected property owners to support the teams with their dogs and drones as best they can and to grant them access to their land and property accordingly.
Report dead wild boar immediately
In addition, all those involved in hunting and farming as well as animal keepers and private individuals are called upon to report the location of dead wild boar immediately to the district's food monitoring, animal welfare and veterinary services on 05631 954 1753 or by email. However, the carcasses should not be touched. They will only be recovered and sampled by specialised personnel.
The general ruling applies with immediate effect and can be found on the website of the Kassel Regional Council. The Giessen Regional Council has issued a similar general ruling for its district. This is because the search area extends not only across the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg, but also into the districts of Marburg-Biedenkopf and Lahn-Dill. Further information on African swine fever in Waldeck-Frankenberg can be found here.