In response to the rise in zoonotic disease threats, animal welfare concerns, and California Central Valley community member alarm around Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Type A (H5N1), this report explains the scientific and regulatory landscape for zoonotic disease management and how these systems were – and were not – effective with regards to managing H5N1 in California dairies.

The report organizes several zoonotic disease interventions via the Hierarchy of Controls, a framework often used to manage industrial risk. Discussing each level of the hierarchy, the student team identifies several potential zoonotic disease controls. The report then lays out the federal, state, and local government agencies involved in managing an animal disease outbreak. Stemming from this section, the report highlights three complex yet persistent regulatory challenges that the student team argues must be addressed before any long-term high-impact improvements will materialize regarding zoonotic disease risk reduction.

Key among these challenges is that while many government agencies have authority to mandate risk-reduction protocols, this authority is largely discretionary, and thus often under-used. And, when there are mandates, there is little enforcement. It appears that the reasons behind these challenges largely stem from unclear agency priorities and responsibilities, underfunding, and subsequently, under staffing. Thus, the report concludes with three more pragmatic, yet potentially high-impact recommendations that are not dependent on under-staffed-and under-funded governments.