The possible hazard of upcoming pandemics from animal businesses in the United States is highlighted by a recent paper from Harvard Law School and New York University. The study underlines the fact that the US government lacks a sound plan for reducing these threats. The report suggests tightening already-existing laws and enacting further restrictions to stop zoonotic-caused outbreaks.
The study is the initial attempt to completely describe the animal trade networks that support the risk of zoonotic illness in the United States.
It examines 36 distinct animal sectors, including those that raise animals for fur, trade in exotic pets, hunt and catch, industrial animal husbandry, backyard chicken farming, road zoos, and more, to determine the likelihood that each could cause a significant disease epidemic.
The study claims that many high-risk encounters between people and animals that regularly and habitually occur in the United States could lead to future pandemics, rather than being an issue that exclusively happens overseas.