Cervine Animal Product Import – Chronic Wasting Disease Restrictions | Veterinary Deer Society

One of the international issues facing cervids and cervid products is the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in parts of the United States of America, Canada and Scandinavia as well as other parts of the world. This has led to a ban of import of live animals from Norway and parts of Sweden and Finland, and certain animal products from Norway, the USA, Canada and South Korea. Broadly, no unprocessed deer urine, deer faeces, and lures may be imported from anywhere, and manufactured products containing any cervine animal product cannot be imported from Norway, the USA, Canada and South Korea.

No Scandinavian areas where CWD has been diagnosed in reindeer (Norway, Sweden and Finland) are allowed to export any meat or meat preparations from reindeer unless the animals first test negative. Lichen, an important and highly used diet of UK reindeer, is not permitted to be imported from affected areas due to the risk of urine being present on the product. However, it is important to note that antlers from these animals are sometimes used for products within the UK, including dog chews. As the antlers have already been cleaned in order to be used in such a manner, the risk of introduction and transmission of the prion protein responsible for CWD has been assessed to be low by APHA. In addition, any carcass with biproduct used must test negative for CWD prior to being exported.