The U.S. is facing a growing bird flu crisis, with cases continuing to spread among poultry, dairy cattle, and even wild animals.

Despite the urgency of the situation, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently laid off key senior veterinarians and bird flu experts, weakening the nation’s ability to respond effectively to this public health threat.

According to reports, bird flu cases have been increasing, impacting both poultry farms and consumers. Experts warn that failing to control this outbreak could have devastating effects.

The CDC reports detections in wild birds across all 51 jurisdictions, affecting over 168 million poultry and nearly 1,000 dairy herds in 17 states.

The spread of bird flu has already had significant consequences, including concerns over potential human transmission, and serious risks to livestock farmers.

Yet, at a time when strong leadership is most needed, the FDA has chosen to make steep cuts to its team of veterinary specialists, particularly those leading efforts to track and contain bird flu outbreaks.

The FDA's chief medical officer, Dr. Hilary Marston, was also ousted Tuesday from the agency. She had been closely working to coordinate the agency's bird flu response with CVM's veterinarians, as well as to lead its oversight of human drugs and vaccines for the virus.

We call on the FDA and the U.S. government to immediately reinstate the leadership team overseeing bird flu response and to provide the necessary resources to combat this crisis.

Sign this petition to demand action before it’s too late. The U.S. cannot afford to ignore the bird flu crisis.