00:01To understand how the virus works and to make preparations to change what you do into the
00:09future because this is a virus that's probably going to hang around for a long time.
00:13So what sort of things are you doing to get ready for this virus?
00:16So we're advising our clients just to be clean with their pets, particularly with chickens.
00:25Backyard chickens are probably the highest risk.
00:28In terms of pet budgies, as you mentioned, most of these birds are all living sort of a
00:34quarantine kind of COVID situation, if you like, already.
00:38So with people with those sorts of birds, we're just advising them just to be clean, be wary
00:42of the virus, make sure if you're in an area where the virus is, wash your hands, make sure
00:47you don't inadvertently bring it into the home.
00:49For pet chickens, it's a little bit more of a problem.
00:52They're very high risk birds because they're very prone to the disease and a very high
00:57death rate with these guys if they catch the disease.
01:00Because this virus is a little bit more than what other viruses we're faced with.
01:04So we're faced with all kinds of viruses that can be contagious.
01:08But we've separated out a room, a quarantine room in the clinic, and we've set it up with
01:15an outdoor access.
01:17So if we get the virus in the clinic, we can contain it.
01:20And that's most important for me because it's so contagious to our clients' pets.
01:25But there is also a human health risk there as well.
01:27So we have to set up with PPE and make sure we don't kind of release the virus in people
01:34bringing wild birds in that have been hit by cars and all kinds of things.
01:37So this is kind of a bit of a charity arm that vets do is they look after wildlife that
01:42have been brought in by public.
01:43The government's really concerned about which animals are going to be affected because
01:48it's not just birds.
01:50And people need to be also wary of things like their cats as well.
01:53We've seen lots of cats having problems because if the cats eat the birds with the flu.
02:00So the landscape's going to be a bit like COVID in a way, but for the birds and who knows
02:06which animals at the moment with the Australian wildlife.
02:09And especially my chicken clients and my poultry sort of duck clients, they're the ones that
02:15I'm having most problems and most concerns with.
02:18It's people who actually own ducks because it's very hard to separate these birds.
02:22They need a pond.
02:23They need water.
02:24They need space.
02:25And they're the ones that are going to be exposed to birds that actually carry the virus
02:30and bring it onto people's properties.
02:32Cats are a higher risk than dogs at getting sick from the virus.
02:37So that's been shown worldwide.
02:39So I'm going to watch it.
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