The relationship between people and companion animals, on the one hand, explains the bites and zoonotic diseases that occur among those with companion animals and, on the other hand, appears to enhance the psychological and physiological well-being of many people. Presently, no less than 56% of households in the United States have animals, typical of developed countries around the world. It is well documented that people denied human contact do not thrive well. All indications are that companion animals play the role of a family member, often a member with the most desired attributes. Animals play special roles for children, aiding the teaching of nurturing behavior and appreciation of nonverbal communication. Ordinary interactions with animals can reduce blood pressure and alter survival after a heart attack. For some, pets increase the opportunities to meet people, while for others pets permit them to be alone without being lonely.

Approximately 63% of US households have at least one pet, a large percentage of which are considered family members. Pet owners can derive substantial physical and psychological benefits from interaction with companion animals. However, pet ownership is not without risks; zoonotic diseases are increasingly drawing the attention of healthcare professionals, policy makers and the general public. While zoonoses of 'traditional' pets are widely recognized and their prevention and treatment factors are generally known, the growing popularity of 'non-traditional' pets has the potential to facilitate human exposure to novel zoonoses. However, the greatest risk of zoonoses probably arises from animals taken directly from the wild to serve as pets. Non-governmental organizations, state veterinary associations and others have been calling for increased regulation of animal imports, some proposing that all 'exotics' be banned from the pet trade. Because zoonotic diseases of companion animals are influenced by interacting factors of ecological, technical, socio-economic, and political origin, efforts to minimize their impact need be multi-dimensional, simultaneously addressing both the ecological and socio-political drivers of disease emergence and transmission. This study is intended to serve as a primer for animal care professionals seeking to engage with policy makers and the pet industry on the prevention of companion animal zoonoses. We provide background on the human-animal bond, risks of zoonoses associated with groups of companion animals, and the public policy context, as well as identify the factors needed to build a comprehensive approach to companion animal zoonoses risk management. Also included are examples of innovative, non-regulatory initiatives designed to limit the spread and impact of companion animal zoonoses, including a reptile salmonella poster, the National Reptile Improvement Plan, Habitattitude campaign, Pet Zoonoses Committee, and a wildlife disease surveillance initiative known as Project TripWire.

A watch list is a list of invasive species to be prioritized for surveillance, reporting, and other possible responses in order to reduce the risk of impact to valued assets. Watch lists are basic, yet multifunctional tools for the early detection of and rapid response to invasive species. There is, however, a need to substantially improve watch list standardization, accessibility, and associated communication strategies. We provide guidance to achieve these aims, including an overview of guiding principles and a list of questions to consider when one develops, communicates, and applies invasive species watch lists. Our guidance is intended to support invasive species watch lists development and application globally.

The invasive species issue is inherently a matter of risk; what is the risk that an invasive species will adversely impact valued assets? The early detection of and rapid response to invasive species (EDRR) requires that an assessment of risk is conducted as rapidly as possible. We define risk screening as rapid characterization of the types and degree of risks posed by a population of non-native species in a particular spatio-temporal context. Risk screening is used to evaluate the degree to which various response measures are warranted and justifiable. In this paper, we evaluate the US government's risk screening programs with a view towards advancing national EDRR capacity. Our survey-based findings, consistent with prior analyses, indicate that risk evaluation by federal agencies has largely been a reactive, ad hoc process, and there is a need to improve information sharing, risk evaluation tools, and staff capacity for risk screening. We provide an overview of the US Department of Agriculture's Tiered Weed Risk Evaluation and US Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Risk Screening Summaries, two relatively new approaches to invasive species risk screening that hold promise as the basis for future work. We emphasize the need for a clearinghouse of risk evaluation protocols, tools, completed assessments and associated information; development of performance metrics and standardized protocols for risk screening; as well as support for complementary, science-based tools to facilitate and validate risk screening. Keywords Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) Á Invasive species Á Non-native species Á Risk analysis Á Risk assessment Á Risk screening Á Target analysis

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