Jet set pets: examining the zoonosis risk in animal import and travel across the European Union

Fooks, Anthony R; Johnson, Nicholas

Two features of human behavior throughout history are striking. The first has been the domestication of numerous animals for food production, as working animals for activities such as transport, and for hunting purposes. They are also, particularly in modern times, used as a source of companionship, and in the USA alone there are estimated to be over 77 million dogs. 1 The second feature is our propensity to travel. This trait has accelerated in the modern age through technical innovations such as the motor car, air travel, and international shipping. 2 Human travel through migration, leisure, or business continues to increase in parallel with a population increase and the spread of affluence. This provides opportunities for pathogens to move to new areas and cause outbreaks of disease. Commercial air travel has been particularly effective at transporting pathogens such as SARS coronavirus and influenza viruses. 3 It is also contributing to the spread of disease vectors and the diseases they transmit. 4 As we travel, we take animals with us either through trade in livestock or in the movement of companion animals.