AVMA backs national animal identification program

Schaumberg, Ill.

-- The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is asking veterinarians to join a new national effort to identify the livestock in case of an emergency.

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is designed to help producers and animal health officials respond quickly to any food-animal disease outbreaks. The database would keep track of information like animal registration and location to help find and remove diseased food-animals.

"The AVMA fully supports a national livestock identification system," says AVMA Chief Executive Officer Ron DeHaven. " We're asking veterinarians, particularly those working with livestock, to become involved in the NAIS program, to register their own hospitals in addition to their premises and animals, and also to encourage their clients to register their animals and premises. No one carries more credibility with animal owners than veterinarians."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Veterinarian's Toolkit is an online resource that provides a detailed guide about NAIS and can be found here..