Risk assessments to inform policy decisions regarding importation of pets from North America.

The article reports on the implications of the risk assessment initiated by the British government in response to the growing threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and foot-and-mouth disease. Risk assessment is recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as a transparent and scientific method for determining the risk of undesirable events. Thus, it has been utilized by the British government to control the risk of rabies coming to the country from North America.