BIO-CRIME

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are defined as zoonoses. The spread of these diseases within the human population is often linked to human activity and the illegal trafficking of pets. In fact, animals purchased on the black market are not subject to any health checks and may come from infected areas.

Friuli Venezia Giulia and Carinthia are both transit routes and destination countries for the illegal trafficking of pets coming from Eastern European countries. The impact of this criminal activity generates at least four negative effects:

• human health
• animal health and welfare
• market protection
• consumer fraud.

The Bio-Crime Project aimed to reduce the zoonotic risk by developing a common cross-border strategy against the illegal trafficking of pets as part of human and animal health and welfare prevention programs.

Training courses for public officials, the development of joint operational protocols, the creation of a digital web platform for data sharing, epidemiological surveillance of seized animals, and citizen education projects in the two regions are just some of the activities that the Bio-Crime Project has implemented to reduce the illegal trafficking of pets.