GYA Bison Brucellosis
Brucellosis Affects Everyone
Department of livestock Policy Statement and goal for the Yellowstone national Park Bison in relation ship to Brucellosis:
Our ultimate long term goal would be to have a disease free, roaming herds of bison in Yellowstone National Park.
Our objective is to maintain Montana's Brucellosis Free Status with the hope we eliminate brucellosis in one of the last remaining brucellosis reservoirs in the United States.
To accomplish this objective we all must work together to either eliminate brucellosis from the bison and wild animals in Yellowstone National Park, so they can roam outside the park boundaries without restrictions, or the park needs to prevent the bison from leaving the park.
We would like to work with the groups that desire brucellosis free bison and give them live animals to establish or reestablish their herds. As things stand now, no state animal health official will allow these animals in their state. Until a quarantine facility can be established near Yellowstone National Park, where the bison can be certified free of brucellosis no live animals can be shipped anywhere in the United States. A quarantine facility in another state would not work because they would be transporting diseased animals across state lines which is against the law, except for slaughter.
We understand that the number of bison will probably increase under the current park management of natural regulation within the park and the only way for them to survive is by migrating into Montana and other surrounding states. We want Yellowstone National Park to accept their responsibility in this matter by becoming an active participant, in addressing the brucellosis disease control issue. If the park fails to address this issue in good faith, they should not ask that we lessen our efforts to keep brucellosis infected bison from entering Montana which threatens the health of the people and livestock of Montana.
The livestock industry of Montana must protect the livestock and human health from the devastating impact that the disease (brucellosis) would have on Montana and other states if it were to be reintroduced.
