Concerns at De Beestenborg children’s farm in the city are increasing now that animals are increasingly found in the country that are infected with the bird flu virus.
“There has been a mandatory confinement for two weeks now,” says Marijn, one of the employees of the petting zoo. “For us, this means that visitors can neither see nor visit the animals. The animals are in their cage. Actually like a kind of quarantine. Somehow that feels good, because it means that our animals cannot come into contact with wild birds that may carry the bird flu virus.”
“This is not good for the health of chickens and ducks”
But according to Marijn there is also a side note: “Our animals, and then we are talking about chickens and ducks, for example, they are not made to sit in a pen 24 hours a day. It is not good for their health. They have to go out into the meadows, they have to be able to celebrate life.” Despite the fact that the animals are currently not visible, it does not lead to questions from the public: “People understand. Many people have also seen images of how annoying this virus is. And we are also very happy that the virus has not yet struck here. I have to knock that off right away.”
bird flu
Europe is facing the largest bird flu outbreak ever. The contagious animal disease has been diagnosed in dozens of European countries and tens of millions of animals have been culled in recent months. Many wild birds are also infected. Last spring, the faction of the Party for the Animals in the municipality of Groningen expressed all its concerns after bird flu was discovered at a poultry farm in Woltersum. “Bird flu is only a joke away from being transmissible to humans,” said then party leader Kirsten de Wrede of the party. “Virologists tremble at what is going on in nature right now.”
“Became more dangerous and deadly”
De Wrede: “The bird flu used to be a seasonal flu, but has now become endemic. It won’t go away, it will stay with us. In addition, the virus has become highly pathogenic, making it more dangerous and deadly. It has also become more dangerous for people.” At the same time, De Wrede warned against the large poultry farms: “The virus originated on such farms in animals that are genetically extremely weak. The virus races through such a company with ease, and has plenty of room to mutate.”