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Secure Zoo Strategy

dangerous animal response team

Secure Zoo Strategy (SZS) is a guidance plan designed to help facilities develop business continuity plans to protect staff, animals and business models in the event of a high consequence disease outbreak. It can also help you to mitigate the effects of such an outbreak, as an event like this can threaten the welfare of your collection, public visitation, and the movement of animals or products within or between states.

We know that due to the diversity of business models within the Exotic Animal Industry (EAI), there is no “one size fits all” plan for facilities. Secure Zoo Strategy is intended to help meet your facility’s unique needs and the regulatory requirements implemented by officials in the event of a disease outbreak.

Our Secure Zoo Strategy resources provide you with general guidance for preparing for a high consequence event, such as how to build successful response partnerships and develop facility biosecurity plans, as well as more specific resources on diseases of concern, such as African swine fever.

It is more important than ever to be prepared for high consequence disease events that could impact your facility – Secure Zoo Strategy can help you get there.

Steps to the SZS Plan!

Click here to download a PDF of the full Secure Zoo Strategy Document

Step 1: Building Response Partnerships

Building a successful partnership with your State Animal Health Official (SAHO) is a crucial part of developing a response plan for your facility, as they will have authority over all facilities with susceptible animals during a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) outbreak. This step will introduce background information about what the time frame of response to such an outbreak might look like, including restrictions that could impact your facility, This step also provides guidance on building a successful partnership with your SAHO. Upon completion of this step, you will have a better understanding of how an outbreak can affect you and why response partnerships are so important. The Facility Information Worksheet included at the end of the step can be used as a guide for what information you should provide to your SAHO.

Click here to begin Step 1

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Secure Zoo Strategy Webinar Series (recordings)

Learn more about high consequence diseases for the Exotic Animal Industry