Geel (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): VZW Kemp in Geel is struggling after a fire killed 150 sheep in May and is now facing a bluetongue virus outbreak resulting in 80 sheep deaths and many needing treatment. The situation is compounded by delays in removing deceased animals causing distress for caretakers and neighbors.
VZW Kemp a care farm in Geel is going through tough times again. After a fire in May that killed 150 sheep the farm is now facing an outbreak of the bluetongue virus. This virus mainly affects animals like sheep, cows and goats adding more problems for the farm. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) reported that most bluetongue cases have been found in Antwerp where Geel is located. The virus is spread by biting midges and can cause fever, swelling and even death in animals. This outbreak has made things worse for vzw Kemp which is already suffering from the loss of sheep due to the fire. Because bluetongue was found at the farm the animals need immediate care and strict safety measures must be put in place to stop the virus from spreading further. This situation shows how much the virus is affecting livestock farming in the area with vzw Kemp being one of the hardest hit.
How is VZW Kemp coping with the bluetongue virus outbreak?
At vzw Kemp there are around 2,000 sheep in different groups. 80 of them have died from the bluetongue virus recently and about 150 to 200 sheep needed medical treatment. The director Maarten d’Hondt, said it all happened very fast. In just two weeks every group got sick and many sheep were really unwell. They tried their best to help the animals. The caretakers are feeling really helpless because they don’t have much information and have to watch their animals suffer which makes d’Hondt very upset.
There was a terrible smell because the company that was supposed to pick up the dead sheep was delayed. Maarten d’Hondt, the director at vzw Kemp explained that this situation made things even harder for everyone. It has been said that the delay meant that the bodies of the sheep were left for a longer time causing a strong and unpleasant odor around the farm. This added to the stress and sadness that the caretakers were already feeling as they dealt with the outbreak and the suffering of the animals. The combination of the virus’s impact and the delay in collecting the dead sheep created a very difficult environment for everyone involved.
Maarten d’Hondt mentioned that their organization is facing a tough time both mentally and physically especially after a fire in May that destroyed their infrastructure. They are using extra resources to manage the situation but the company that collects the dead sheep Rendac can’t keep up with the high demand. It takes a long time for them to pick up the bodies and the hot weather has made the smell unbearable causing complaints from neighbors. D’Hondt understands the delays noting that so many animals have died in a short time and Rendac has limited staff and trucks even calling some workers back from leave to help with the busy situation.
