Devon virus inquiry enters final day
12 October 2001
Devon virus inquiry enters final day
By Adrienne Francis
THE final day of the Devon foot-and-mouth inquiry is set to hear how red tape hampered animal welfare work during the crisis.
John Tressider, RSPCA south-west superintendent, was due to give evidence to the inquiry at County Hall, Exeter, on Friday (12 October).
There was an initial reluctance by the now-defunct Ministry of Agriculture to involve the RSPCA, according to his written evidence.
Mr Tressider said MAFFs reluctance limited the amount of help the animal welfare charity was able to offer in the early stages of the crisis.
Roger Rivett, head of Devons Trading Standards service, is likely to criticise MAFFs unwillingness to share essential information.
At the height of the crisis, one-third of RSPCA staff in Devon were working full-time in an effort to deal with welfare problems.
More than 750 farmers were helped with licence applications and feed and bedding in an operation which helped more than 103,000 animals.
The fifth day of proceedings at the inquiry will also hear evidence from representatives from environment and wildlife organisations.
Nick Atkinson, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park, believes footpaths should never again be closed en masse because of the disease.
Mark Robins and Frances Winder of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are expected to call for an urgent re-evaluation of the local economy.
They are set to voice concern about the loss and decline in quality of Devons biodiversity and call for an ambitious recovery programme.
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