There will be no cows to milk this weekend.

Because of fears over the spread of foot and mouth disease, the Animal Science Department will not have any animals at this year’s Veishea events.

This means no I Milk a Cow, no petting zoo and no pony rides.

While some of these events are part of Veishea tradition, the safety of the animals is the most important consideration.

Animal science professors decided the large amount of international visitors Veishea attracts could mean a risk of foot and mouth disease spreading to animals this weekend.

Though this deadly animal disease is active in Europe, Russia and South America, it has not been reported in the United States for 75 years.

Due to the recent havoc the disease has caused on other continents, there is a fear the virus could spread to our shores.

The risk of foot and mouth disease being spread at Veishea is very small, but it’s still too large a risk to take with a disease that can be fatal.

The virus can live on a carrier, including a person’s shoes or nasal passages, for six to 10 days and is very easily spread.

While it’s sad to see some Veishea traditions go for a year, it’s better than Veishea being forever known as The Event That Caused Foot and Mouth Disease to Spread to America.

Though we’ll miss milking cows and visiting the petting zoo this year, we’re glad to know that Iowa State’s animals are safe from a horrible disease.

editorialboard: Carrie Tett, Jocelyn Marcus, Katie Goldsmith, Andrea Hauser and Tim Paluch