Hanging on for Deer Life: How Chronic Wasting Disease Might Impact Florida and How Florida Law is Trying to Prevent its Spread into the State

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a serious illness that affects deer, elk, and moose. It’s caused by misfolded proteins called prions and can damage the nervous system, leading to death. While there’s no strong evidence that humans can get CWD, it’s important to be cautious. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has put new regulations in place to prevent CWD from spreading in Florida’s deer population. Deer in Florida mostly consist of three types of white-tailed deer. There is also a non-native species called sambar deer. In the past, the native white-tailed deer population decreased, but efforts to restore their habitat have led to a stable population of 700,000. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission manages over 5.8 million acres for deer and other wildlife. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulates deer populations to keep them at a stable level. This is important because deer can harm the environment and spread diseases if there are too many of them. The deer economy in the U.S. is big, with lots of money spent on hunting and raising deer. If Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) affects deer in Florida, it could cost the state a lot of money in lost hunting revenue and from deer farms. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have regulations to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into Florida. FWC regulates the importation of live deer, elk, moose, caribou, and other cervids into the state. There are exceptions for accredited zoos and temporary stays for reindeer. FWC also regulates the importation of cervid carcasses, with recent changes to further restrict importation. Before 2021, Florida had a rule that banned bringing certain parts of deer from places with chronic wasting disease (CWD). But in 2019, they made the rule even stricter by banning all deer parts from outside of Florida. Exceptions were made for certain clean parts like hides and antlers. If a deer tested positive in Florida, it had to be given to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida has a ban on bringing in carcasses from other states, but there are two exceptions for Georgia and Alabama. The first exception is if the property where the animal was hunted is on both sides of the Florida state line and owned by the same person. The second exception is for white-tailed deer if the hunter gets a permit, reports the importation, and disposes of the carcass properly. However, if there’s a problem with Chronic Wasting Disease in Georgia or Alabama, these exceptions won’t apply. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can make rules for this, and the Department of Agriculture has its own rules as well. In Florida, there are rules about bringing deer and other cervids into the state. These rules were last updated in 2019 and have specific requirements for importing live cervids, like getting a health inspection and permission number. There are also rules about where the cervids can come from and what kind of testing is required. These rules are important for protecting the health of the cervid population in Florida. Florida’s regulations for importing and transporting cervids include requirements from the USDA or the animal’s originating state’s veterinarian. Cervids being imported into Florida must come from herds that are disease-free for five years. There are also rules for transporting cervids within the state, including the need for permits and a herd health plan. Florida has rules in place to prevent and limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer populations. The state has regulations on importing and moving deer, and has plans in place to monitor and manage the health of deer herds. If CWD is ever detected in Florida, there are rules for quarantining and disposing of affected deer herds. Overall, the state is taking steps to protect its deer population from this disease. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) can affect deer in Florida. It is a serious disease that can spread to other animals and even humans. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has put in place new rules to protect deer from CWD. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information on how CWD spreads and how to prevent it. Different types of deer in Florida, like the Key Deer and Sambar Deer, are at risk. The FWC has a history of managing deer populations in the state and uses Wildlife Management Areas to help protect them. Many people in the United States enjoy hunting, and Florida offers recreational hunting licenses for those interested. Deer farming is a big business, but chronic wasting disease (CWD) can hurt the economy. CWD can spread to wild deer, and there are new rules to prevent it from spreading to Florida. It’s important to test deer for CWD to keep it from spreading. This article is from the Solo and Small Firm Section, led by Jacina J. Parson and edited by Michelle Garcia Gilbert. The main goal is to teach lawyers about their duty to serve the public and improve the justice system.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/hanging-on-for-deer-life-how-chronic-wasting-disease-might-impact-florida-and-how-florida-law-is-trying-to-prevent-its-spread-into-the-state/