Ontario 's avian flu concerns leads to Western Fair banning birds

The Western Fair, it's not for the birds.

Officials have decided that this year's edition of the Western Fair in London, Ont., will not include birds of any kind due to the most recent outbreak of avian flu in southern Ontario.

Even though the fair is not until Sept. 11, officials made the decision early.

Earlier this year, avian flu was confirmed on two southern Ontario farms and 29 were under quarantine at the height of the concern in mid-April.

The bird ban at the 10-day Western Fair includes everything from chickens and turkeys to fancy fowl, like peacocks, and live wild animal displays featuring owls and hawks.

"Basically, no live bird displays this year," said Heather Blackwell, who speaks for the fair.

Normally, there is a large, live poultry and egg display. That area typically consists of a number of cages, hatcheries, live birds and experts.

"We don't want to socialize poultry farmers because there is a potential for the flu virus to spread. It's not a specific trade show, but still, we have 200,000 people that take part in the fair and therefore it doesn't make any sense to take that risk," Blackwell said. "What we will do to complement that area is create a static educational display about avian influenza."

Part of the fair's mandate is to educate. The display is intended to explain what avian flu is, how it spreads and how it's stopped.

Blackwell said that the fancy fowl and cute yellow chicks will surely be missed.

"They'll ask where they are. But we've been in this situation before," Blackwell said.

Last year, there were no pigs at the fair due to porcine epidemic diarrhea, or PED, which is deadly to piglets.

The Western Fair isn't the only one concerned about avian flu.

In Essex County, the organizers of the Harrow Fair are monitoring avian flu but have not made a decision on whether to ban birds from the fair.