The County Administrative Board of Värmland has banned a farmer in northern Värmland from keeping hoofed animals due to repeated and serious deficiencies in cattle husbandry since 2015, according to the board. Inspections found cattle lacking shelter from weather, being underweight, having neglected hoof care, standing in manure, lacking companionship, and some without sufficient water. During a control last year, a 17-year-old thin cow was kept with a bull to get her pregnant, multiple reports said. The ban applies to hoofed animals and the man must dispose of the cattle within six weeks, the board stated.
In western Värmland, a man has mistreated animals, according to multiple reports. In early December last year, a report was made to the County Administrative Board about a man's dog keeping. The reporter stated that the dogs were not exercised and one was very thin with visible ribs. During a control on December 12, deficiencies in claws and dental health were noted; dogs had brown coating on teeth and heavy tartar, the board said.
In early April, animal welfare inspectors conducted a control at a property in a small locality in Tingsryd municipality after a police report about two old dogs in very poor condition, according to the board's inspectors. The County Administrative Board is intervening against an animal owner in the Hörby area after repeated and serious neglect, the board said. During several controls, two dogs and a dwarf hamster were found in poor condition, including overly long claws, emaciation, and an environment causing stress and suffering, multiple reports said. For several years, a man in his 50s from Hörby has subjected his animals to neglect, according to multiple reports. Documented deficiencies include undernourished pigs without water, dirty sheep, and dead turkeys among living animals. The man is now banned from owning and caring for animals, multiple reports said.
In early this year, the County Administrative Board of Jämtland decided to immediately seize a large number of animals from a farm in the county after serious deficiencies in animal husbandry, the board said. The County Administrative Board of Dalarna has decided to immediately seize a cat in Garpenberg, Hedemora municipality, the board said. The cat, which has no owner, has been seen in the village for several years and is described as aggressive and worn, according to multiple reports.
In a statement, the County Administrative Board said: "A large number of animals have been negatively affected over a long period by the lack of supervision and necessary basic care measures not being taken."
Beyond these cases, research highlights the zoonotic risk of animal influenza viruses. Influenza viruses belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae with a negative-sense, single-stranded segmented RNA genome, according to research. From 1918 to 2009, there were four influenza pandemics, which caused millions of casualties. Frequent spillover of animal influenza viruses to humans poses a serious zoonotic and pandemic threat, research indicates. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic overshadowed the high risk raised by animal influenza viruses, but highlighted the role of wildlife as a reservoir for pandemic viruses. Several animal influenza viruses possess a high zoonotic risk (e.g., avian and swine influenza viruses), others are of low to negligible zoonotic potential (e.g., equine, canine, bat and bovine influenza viruses). Transmission can occur directly from animals, particularly poultry and swine, to humans or through reassortant viruses in 'mixing vessel' hosts. To date, there are less than 3000 confirmed human infections with avian-origin viruses and less than 7000 subclinical infections documented. Only a few hundreds of confirmed human cases caused by swine influenza viruses have been reported. Pigs are the historic mixing vessel host for the generation of zoonotic influenza viruses due to the expression of both avian-type and human-type receptors. There are a number of hosts which carry both types of receptors and can act as a potential mixing vessel host. High vigilance is warranted to prevent the next pandemic caused by animal influenza viruses, research concludes.
The book 'Animals in China' covers topics including animal cruelty, human-animal relations, dog wars, bear farming, animal agriculture, wildlife protection law, and animal protection NGOs, according to research.