A framework for assessing the intangible impacts of emergency animal disease

We present a novel framework for addressing the intangible impacts of emergency animal diseases (EADs). Intangible elements can have great impact on the response, control and prevention strategies that are ultimately used to address these EADs. These intangible elements have value and worth, although these are difficult express in dollar terms. Consequently, these elements are often lost in the scope of traditional economic analysis. Without the inclusion of these intangibles, the bottom-line for decision-making related to animal-health emergencies would be based only on financial measures. This does not reflect the reality of the consultative policy-making process. The framework we present allows a measurement of the trade-offs that stakeholders are willing to accept under different EAD control scenarios. The key attributes of the framework include both the consultative processes involving different stakeholders and the process of identification of intangibles and their personal value to these stakeholders. This consultation will ensure that the resulting analysis includes the full impacts of EADs, rather than only a narrow comparison of financial costs and benefits.