Exhibitions

As fun and exciting as animal exhibitions can be they pose an increased risk of exposure to animal diseases. You can minimize the exposure of your animals to the risk of disease transmission by following simple biosecurity steps.

Before the Event

• Work with your veterinarian to obtain the needed papers and testing to move your animal to the event
• There are often import requires for the state the event is held in that need to be met before departure
• Event organizers may have additional requirements for attendance that should be followed
• Do not move sick animals or animals from a location that has sick animals present

During the Event

• Don’t allow anyone else to handle, move, clean, feed, or present your animals
• Don’t let visitors of the event touch your animals,
  • If your animals are part of a petting exhibit, require that visitors sanitize their hands before and after handling your animals
• Do not allow your animals to mingle with other animals any more than the competition requires
• Follow all the rules laid out by show organizers.

After the Event

• All animals returning from an event should be isolated from all other animals on the premises, usually for at least 30 days.
• Monitor your animals for signs of illness once they return home
• Be sure to sanitize all equipment, clothing, trailers and vehicles before returning to your farm with an approved disinfectant.

Explore exhibition rules and exhibition testing information for mitigating the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), as well as a list of EPA-approved disinfectants and antimicrobial products.