2023-09-06 16:57:00
Funny phone call around 10:30 p.m. to Isabelle Doneux, Saint-Gérard veterinarian. “The firefighters in the Val de Sambre area contacted me because an accident vehicle on the E42 was no longer able to transport 1,000 laboratory mice. They were looking for someone to take care of them and bring them to safety. . They told me: “We have 1,000 mice, what do we do doctor (laughs)?” Without thinking, I told them they could bring them to my office. And then my husband, who was more awake than me, brought me to my senses. How do you expect me to house and care for lab mice in my practice (laughs) ?”
Especially since the rules and the routing and containment process are very strict. These rodents cannot come into contact with humans and even less with other animals. “These are mice bred for science experiments, comments Pierre Paindaveine, husband of Isabelle Doneux and veterinarian. They must remain in a sterile environment. When they are transported, their route is highly regulated. Each conveyor has a document to know where they come from and where they are expected. I therefore advised the fire brigade to find this document and contact the recipient or the person who sent the mice.
On the way to the Netherlands
On site, it was finally the firm in charge of transport that sent another vehicle to continue the delivery. It was not until 11:30 p.m., more than two hours after the accident, that the firefighters were able to return to the barracks. “On the order of the police, the transfer took place off the highway, at the Cassart convenience store, so as not to further disrupt traffic on the 42”, adds Géry Chavée, firefighter for the Val de Sambre area. In the end, the driver of the van was slightly injured. “The mice were unharmed and fortunately did not leave the large trunk of the van.” They were able to return to the Netherlands, where they were expected, around midnight.
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