A letter to the prime minister...

 Re: Ending the contiguous slaughter policy.

Dear Prime Minister,

We are veterinary surgeons who have been working for the past weeks to assist in the eradication of foot and mouth disease from our animals. It is vital to identify diseased animals at the earliest opportunity so that spread of the infection to clean uninfected herds can be avoided. From time to time it is necessary to slaughter healthy flocks and herds, where they present a serious risk of becoming diseased.

Unfortunately, the attempts to control this infection have been taken from the hands of the Chief Veterinary Officer and control now rests in your Office: we understand from the media that you are advised by the Government Chief Scientist, and the Professor of Epidemiology from Imperial College, London University. It should be pointed out that neither of these men have any veterinary training. As a result we are now seeing a savage attack on what livestock remains in the north of England and the south west of Scotland. Animals are being slaughtered without rhyme or reason, often weeks after the supposed danger farm has been eliminated. This "scorched earth" policy will undoubtedly result in the eradication of foot and mouth disease but it may be a pyrrhic victory..

Healthy animals will have to be slaughtered but the decision on their fate should be determined by veterinary surgeons, not politicians, soldiers or mathematicians. Our training was to save animal lives and to improve their health and welfare: veterinary surgeons have the unique privilege of being able to kill animals to prevent suffering, but this does not give us the right to indulge in mass destruction of healthy animals because of unproven computer predictions. If we are not to be used as professionals we must question why we are employed at all.

Yours truly,

David D. Wardrope                         Roger S. Windsor

BVM&S, MRCVS MBE. MA.         BSc. BVM&S. MRCVS.

TVI                                                     TVI

This letter has also been signed by a further 40 veterinary surgeons: their names and signatures will be included with the copy of this letter sent by post.

CC:

The Rt Hon Mrs Mo Mowlam, The Cabinet Office

The Rt Hon Nick Brown, Minister of Agriculture

The Rt Hon Ross Finnie. Minister for Rural Environment

Mr Martyn Jones MP. House of Commons

Mr David McLean MP, House of Commons

Mr Jim Scudamore, CVO, SVS.

Mr Leslie Gardner, ACVO Scotland

Mr Roger Eddy, President Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons,

Mr J.D. Tyson, President, British Veterinary Association

Mr Ben Gill, President, National Farmers Union

Mr Jim Walker, President, Scottish National Farmers Union

TVIs in ALL FMD Centres

We would welcome your support to help change the policy on clean culls and slaughtering of animals on contiguous farms.