PARIS — The international angst over foot-and-mouth disease has spread to Disneyland Paris, where horse-drawn carriages have been banned from the streets and some 80 animals have been sent into exile.
The highly contagious livestock illness, which can be easily carried on clothing, shoes, car tires and by the wind, has been discovered near the Walt Disney Co. theme park.
A park spokesman said Tuesday that, as a precaution, all animals vulnerable to the disease, including sheep, goats, pigs and deer, had been sent to a farm behind the park earlier this month.
And though the carriage rides are temporarily out, the Wild West Show, a cowboy and Indian performance involving horses and buffaloes, remains open.
Visitors have to walk on mats soaked with caustic soda at the show's entrance and exit to prevent the disease's spread.
Foot-and-mouth does not affect humans.
"There is no risk because there have not been any animal transports in the park for several months. But we want to reassure our visitors and employees," the spokesman said.
Disneyland Paris, located east of the French capital, is one of the most popular tourist sites in the world's most visited country.
The spokesman said the only other animals remaining at the park were chickens, ducks, geese and peacocks.
France announced late on Friday that the country's second case of foot and mouth disease had been discovered on a farm near Paris, 10 days after the country's first case was reported in the northwestern department of Mayenne.
Britain has had 649 confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth and has slaughtered around 400,000 animals.