Animal Disease Surveillance

Animal disease surveillance supports Canada's ability to recognize and deal with emerging animal disease problems. Surveillance also plays an import role in providing Canadian livestock and poultry products access to more markets.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's surveillance activities are supported by:

• a nationwide network known as CAHSN (Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network), which draws on the disease detection capabilities of practising veterinarians, provincial and university diagnostic laboratories and the federal government;
• animal identification programs which help trace disease outbreaks to their source.

The Animal Disease Surveillance Unit ensures that Canada keeps apace of international developments in animal disease outbreaks, surveillance methods and identification approaches. The Unit continuously exchanges disease intelligence and works with other nations and international organizations.

Information we provide to the livestock sector and scientific community includes:

• Identification Programs
  • Agri-Traçabilité Québec
  • Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
  • Canadian Sheep Identification Program
• Updates on surveillance activities related to:
  • Avian Influenza
  • Bovine Serological Survey
  • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  • Rabies