#Spring #migration season could cause uptick in #AvianFlu
By Brooke Griffin, KIRO 7 News
March 05, 2025
"Animal experts are warning people to protect their pets and farm animals from bird flu infection as migratory birds make their way across Washington State.
"Amber Betts with the Washington State Department of Agriculture tells us there are currently six million birds migrating across the United States, many of which will fly through Washington state as they head to Canada.
"She said with this current strain of avian influenza, #MigratoryBirds and #WildBirds are the main distributors when it comes to spreading the disease.
"'There’s different species that can have the virus without symptoms and then others if they get it it’s not good for them,' Betts said.
"Betts tells us bird flu kills chickens very quickly once they are infected but many wild birds will not only survive with the disease, they may not even show symptoms.
"She says the sick wild birds will fly across states and countries, infecting entire sections of land with susceptible chickens, ducks, and birds as they go.
"'It can live on surfaces for quite some time,' Betts said. 'If there’s a shared water source and an infected bird drinks out of that and then another bird drinks it, the disease can be shared that way and through droppings.'
"She tells us there are precautionary measures that can be taken to prevent the spread.
"'Make sure the water or food we leave out for our backyard birds is under a cover and not accessible by wild birds. Make sure they don’t have access to a pond where our birds have access as well as the wild birds.' Betts said.
"There have already been at least six confirmed cases of pet cats testing positive for avian flu in [#WashingtonState].
"'That’s the reason we are concerned every time we see migration season coming upon us,' Betts said.
She said the best practice is keeping your pets from drinking any standing water and farm animals away from fields with bird droppings is the best way to prevent them from getting sick."
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/spring-migration-season-could-cause-uptick-avian-flu/4XY7RZUK7ZH3RMN3RHRV6EG7ZU/
#HPAINews #BirdFlu #AvianInfluenza #PetHealth