If a cervid is found positive for CWD, the carcass and parts or bone-in meat should be double bagged and taken to a ministry-approved landfill to prevent consumption by animals and to minimize environmental contamination with the CWD prion. Hunters are advised to contact landfill operators to make arrangements prior to carcass disposal. Meat may be double-bagged and disposed of in household waste in limited quantities. Meat from CWD positive animals should not be composted.
Hunters should take precautions when field dressing, transporting and processing harvested cervids. Precautions when field dressing should include:
- Wearing latex or rubber gloves.
- Deboning the meat from the anima when possible.
- Minimizing the handling of the brain and spinal cord tissue.
- Washing hands and equipment thoroughly after field dressing is completed.
- Cleaning and disinfection of equipment (knives) should be done by soaking in 40 per cent bleach solution (two parts household bleach to three parts water) for a minimum of five minutes to minimize contamination risk.
Although no human case of CWD has ever been identified, the ministry recommends that hunters avoid eating the meat from animals that are known to be infected. In addition, hunters are strongly urged not to eat, or distribute for human consumption, the meat or other parts from animals that are found to be CWD-positive.
If you elect to wait on testing results prior to consuming the meat, please freeze the meat.