Intervet donates flu vaccine

20 May 2003

Hundreds of tropical birds in the Netherlands have been vaccinated against Avian influenza with the help of Akzo Nobel’s animal healthcare business, Intervet. An outbreak of the disease struck a number of Dutch poultry farms in March, resulting in a ban on all transport and export of poultry and poultry-related farming products in the affected areas.

In an effort to protect tropical birds kept in the country’s zoos, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture recently gave permission for exotic birds to be vaccinated against the virus. Intervet helped out by donating its Nobilis Influenza H7 vaccine to zoos in a number of cities, including Amsterdam, Arnhem, Rotterdam and Amersfoort. According to the country’s Agriculture Minister, zoos have an important educational role to play in society and by vaccinating the birds, it means that they will not need to be culled should the epidemic continue to spread. Said vet Mark Hoyer at the Artis zoo in Amsterdam: “We are very happy with the vaccine. It means that we have at least taken an active step towards prevention rather than waiting to see if the bird flu will hit the zoo and all its exotic and often unique birds.”