About the Book: Live Animal Imports and Disease: Regulatory Practices and
Recommendations
The United States is the worlds leading import market for live animals. From
2005 through 2008 over 1 billion live animals were legally imported into the
United States for agriculture, clinical research, education and exhibition, the
aquarium and pet industries, and other uses. These imports have the potential to
transmit zoonotic diseases; which are infectious diseases that can be
transmitted between animals and humans and can cause a substantial number of
deaths. The spread of zoonotic diseases, as well as other diseases affecting
only animals, can take a major economic toll on many industries. This