Guard dogs against swine fever in Sardinian ports and airports, hunting for pork that cannot and must not enter the island. It was supposed to be an experimental activity, now the regional council has decided to combat the danger of the reintroduction of the virus with its four molecular legs: Psa, eradicated from this part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, is now circulating in the Peninsula and the objective is not to fall back into the 'nightmare. So the roles have been reversed: first the "borders" were closed on exit, with pigs embargoed, now - while waiting for the unblocking for the Sardinians - entry controls are intensified.
In the regional surveillance plan approved by the executive we read that «the virus found in mainland Italy is genetically different from the one that has circulated in Sardinia, corresponding to the one that has been circulating in Europe for some years (Genotype II). In light of this worrying epidemiological situation on a national scale", it is added, "the general objective for Sardinia is to rapidly achieve the state of eradication of swine fever from the regional territory and maintain a high level of surveillance aimed at 'possible early detection of the entry of the new genotype into the island territory'.
Prevention first of all comes from a communication plan (60,000 euros allocated). Information material will be published on the Sardegnaturismo website «in order to intercept the tourist flow in the travel planning phase and on the websites of all the institutions involved in the prevention activity». While «on the websites of Sardinian airports and ports, banners will be placed which will link to an in-depth page». Agreements are also foreseen with AirBnb and Booking «in order to display the information materials to the buyer when booking accommodation in Sardinia». Tourists must know that they cannot arrive on the island with meat or goods at risk of infection: «The message will indicate the danger of introducing the virus, the ban on the import of pork and non-traceable products and the ban on abandoning waste », we read.
The controls, however, will be developed following three lines of action. The first: «Random checks on luggage accompanied by passengers and on goods (live animals and meat), at ports and airports aimed at verifying the accompanying documentation». The use of molecular dogs follows. And "surveillance is envisaged, to be carried out on waste abandoned in lay-bys and unauthorized campsites (campers), in points of tourist interest".
The financing is 90 thousand euros. The plan «proposes an experimental active surveillance project based on the use of dogs specially trained to identify pig meat and derivatives without traceability and potentially contaminated by the virus, in the ports of Sardinia, in order to mitigate the risk and detect in the manner the virus as quickly as possible."
The surveillance activity will initially be carried out in the ports of northern Sardinia, «which alone have the largest flow of passengers in the Region, through the use of molecular dogs: the animals will be conditioned to recognize the target "suicide meat and derivatives" possibly transported in luggage and cars, or other means according to a protocol already validated through scientific studies". Presence in the main regional ports will be guaranteed 5 times a week in the 5 summer months, and 3 times a week in the remaining months of the year.
