As part of the Scrapie Flock Certification Program, producers and veterinarians must work together to complete different tasks throughout the course of the program. Such tasks include completing the annual inventory, submitting brain samples, and responding to overall general animal health questions. This section of the Scrapie Canada website has been developed to provide information to veterinarians regarding the necessary procedures of the SFCP and to facilitate this process.
All veterinarians who work with producers on the SFCP are required to be scrapie accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). If you are not currently scrapie accredited with the CFIA, please review the below information and guidelines.
How do I become scrapie accredited to participate in the SFCP?
You must contact your local CFIA District Office and book an appointment to become accredited for the SFCP. Information on CFIA District Offices can be found on the CFIA website at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/directory/offbure.shtml
What does becoming scrapie accredited entail?
You should be familiar with the scrapie module of the accredited veterinarian’s manual. During your appointment with the CFIA District Veterinarian you will discuss the program as described in the manual. You should be prepared to ask any questions regarding the program during this appointment. You will be required to sign a contract with the CFIA to act on the governments’ behalf in the delivery of this program. You can also request instruction on the technique of obex sample collection; however, this instruction will most likely have to be carried out at a later date.
Where can I find the scrapie module of the accredited veterinarian’s manual?
The scrapie module of the accredited veterinarian’s manual can be found on the CFIA’s web site at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/man/avmmva/avmmva_mod7e.shtml#7.1
What other resources can I access to learn more about this program?
Veterinarians can request a free program manual by contacting the Scrapie Canada office at 1-866-534-1302 or by e-mailing admin@scrapiecanada.ca.
The SFCP’s rules and regulations are posted on the Scrapie Canada website under the heading ‘Certification’ or by clicking on the following link: http://www.scrapiecanada.ca/sfcp
For general inquiries regarding either scrapie or the SFCP, please contact the National Scrapie Project Coordinator at 1-866-534-1302 or by e-mail at admin@scrapiecanada.ca
What are the principal activities I will be performing for the producer?
The principal activities that must be performed by the accredited veterinarian are:
- Conducting or overseeing the inventory of the flock/ herd
- Annual clinical inspection of mature animals within the flock/ herd
- Verification of the producers’ annual report prior to submission to Scrapie Canada to ascertain that all rules were followed and all requirements were fulfilled.
A producer may request assistance in collection of obex samples, however, your routine assistance in this aspect would most likely be too expensive for the producer, therefore they are more likely to request that you teach them how to collect obex samples so that they can do this themselves.
Who pays for my services?
The producer pays for any services that you provide, including document review. It is advisable to discuss the anticipated time and charges with the producer in advance of any agreements. Assembly of the animals for inventory and pre-screening and preparation of the annual report by the producer themselves will greatly facilitate your tasks as well as diminish the time (and therefore the charge) required for your participation in this program.
For general inquiries regarding either scrapie or the SFCP, please contact the National Scrapie Project Coordinator at 1-866-534-1302 or by e-mail at admin@scrapiecanada.ca.
