- An animal charity in Hong Kong is calling on governments
across Asia to adopt more humane measures of culling poultry affected by
avian influenza.
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- The Animals Asia Foundation says live animal markets
should be closed and trade and consumption of wild animals and cats and
dogs should be banned.
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- More than 50 million birds have been culled across Asia
in an attempt to halt the spread of bird flu.
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- In many cases the birds are stuffed into bags alive and
burnt or buried.
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- The Animals Asia Foundation says such slaughter methods
are cruel and unacceptable.
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- The most humane method of killing poultry on such a large
scale is to gas the birds with carbon dioxide, the group says.
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- This was how the authorities here in Hong Kong killed
the entire stock of poultry in 1997 after a bird flu outbreak.
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- But a lack of equipment and trained staff elsewhere in
Asia means in many areas they have to rely on more rudimentary methods
of slaughter.
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- Government regulation
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- The foundation is also calling on governments to end
the traditional practice of selling poultry and other animals while they
are still alive in street markets.
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- It says these can be a breeding ground for bacteria and
disease, especially when wild animals are offered for sale.
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- Demand for meat in Asia is set to double by 2020.
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- Unless farming is regulated properly, the charity warns,
the disease outbreaks in this part of the world will continue.
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- © BBC MMIV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3465125.stm
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