Q-fever was diagnosed at a dairy sheep farm in the Gelderland town of Brakel, outgoing Minister Piet Adema of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality informed parliament. The public health institute RIVM estimates the risk to public health as low. It is the first Q-fever diagnosis at a dairy goats or -sheep farm in the Netherlands since 2016, NOS reports.
Farmers should really consider keeping their livestock stabled now that the bluetongue virus is spreading rapidly in the Netherlands, veterinarians told De Telegraaf. That could help prevent further spread. Agriculture Minister Piet Adema advised bringing animals inside before midges, which spread the virus, become active around sunset. But he also called it “mopping with the tap open.”
The Netherlands is further tightening the rules around breeding flat-faced dogs, sources close to the government told De Telegraaf. From today, Minister Piet Adema of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality will also ban breeding dogs with an extremely short snout in combination with dogs with a longer snout.
Animal shelters throughout the Netherlands are overflowing with kittens, RTL Nieuws reports after speaking with various animal ambulances and shelters. Young cats and kittens have been dumped “extremely often” this summer.