RideCamp@endurance.net
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I can't help but respond to some of the brouhaha
regarding the requirements of health certificates and coggins testing. My
husband is a NY state field veterinarian who was in private practice for 16
years, and I have hauled horses all over the US and Canada, so I have seen
this issue from both sides- the government, the vet and the horse owner.
BTW, this is my view - he is not home right now, so I am speaking as a
competitor and horse owner with access to what may be more info than the average
bear.
Granted, having a current health certificate does
not mean that your horse is free from disease, but what other measures are
there? If a health certificate were not required at all, the spread of
some diseases such as strangles, rhino, rabies and EIA could become
rampant. As it is, if you had a horse who was brewing one of the viral
diseases and did not know it, when your veterinarian took his temp for your
health charts, it may show up- or he may notice a nasal discharge you
dismissed. The presence of contagious disease, as seen by a
veterinarian could keep some horse owners from transporting animals who would
ultimately infect others in a wide area. You are correct, it does not
necessarily keep those who want to do it anyway, from spreading disease to your
horse and mine, but governmental regulations may stem the tide.
Why is it that the UK has hoof and mouth and mad
cow when we do not?? Because in part, this country has stringent import
requirements and other safety nets in place to avoid the spread of these
diseases. EIA, as my husband has explained on this list before, is a
deadly disease. Wouldn't you rather have those safety nets in place
(albeit with some unavoidable holes) than none?? I have seen the horses my
husband has had to euthanize because they were EIA positive and failing - I
would rather subject my horse to a painless $15 test than see him die from this
disease. I have seen my husband quarantine and then have to destroy a herd
of swine who were illegally imported from the south without proper testing and
then tested positive to pseudo rabies. Those pigs threatened the
livelihood of every farmer in this area. There was a legitamate reason for
that testing. It is no different with our horses.
There is no governmental conspiracy to
take people's money and the health of the animals be damned - safe guards
against disease are in place to protect our animals and our health, in some
cases. I would hate to see the havoc in this country without these
safeguards.
Laura Hayes AERC #2741
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