Britain is recruiting foreign vets to shore up it own veterinary service, which is under severe pressure battling an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, agriculture minister Nick Brown said on Tuesday.
"We are seeking to recruit vets from the private sector ... but we are also recruiting right around the world from other state veterinary services for extra vets to come to Great Britain to help us," Brown told the BBC.
Speaking from Brussels, where he has been holding talks with his European counterparts, he admitted that "the state veterinary service is under pressure."
The foot-and-mouth crisis, which threatens to devastate the British farming industry, deepened on Monday as five new cases of the disease were confirmed around the country.
Twelve British farms or abattoirs have now been found to have animals with the highly contagious condition and must destroy their livestock – LONDON (AFP)
