LETTER/PETITION TO DEFRA RE EIA

SirenaXVI

SirenaXVI

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VERY ROUGH DRAFT!!!

For those who may object to Racing, Breeding and Competition horses being exempt, please bear in mind that these industries are fairly strict anyway, they need the free movement, they are regulated and have been travelling freely for years without problems, try to impose this on them and any amendment will be doomed to failure. The current situation has arisen from a bin end dealer and he is NOT the only one.






EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA AND THE TPA

The recent importation of Infectious Equine Anemia into this country has shown that the Tripartite Agreement is deeply flawed as it stands.

This disease was brought into the country by a dealer who imported Rumanian horses from France. The horses concerned were in the UK for approx 4 weeks before a Coggins Test was undertaken. We were just lucky that it was in the depths of winter when very few or no biting insects were around, this could just have easily happened mid summer and a post import test would have been useless.

EIA is endemic to Rumania and all horses, barring those bound for slaughter in Italy, by law should have a negative Coggins Test before leaving Rumania. Horses intended for immediate slaughter in Italy are somehow ending up in the hands of unscrupulous dealers and entering the UK via France to be sold on for the ridden leisure market and this is how we find ourselves in the position we are in today.

Any horse testing positive for EIA in the UK will be euthanised immediately, the compensation paid to any affected owners is £1, no matter what the real worth of the animal.

Under the TPA's current legislation, no horses imported from France and Ireland to the UK need undertake ANY health checks and it is not only EIA that our herd is at risk from.

We the undersigned demand an amendment to the TPA so that only Racing, Breeding or Competition horses are covered. We want to see rigorous health checks undertaken on all other horses imported to the UK no matter where their point of origin is.




Comments invited
 
The breeding one worries me. These animals who have been found to be carrying the antigen happen to have been certified as Breedign stock. even though they were not? so leaves a loop hole.

I think maybe it should include all horses being imported/exported, atleast for EIA with a negative coggins test.

Lou x
 
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The breeding one worries me. These animals who have been found to be carrying the antigen happen to have been certified as Breedign stock. even though they were not? so leaves a loop hole.

I think maybe it should include all horses being imported/exported, atleast for EIA with a negative coggins test.

Lou x

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Were they? I was under the impression that they were neither Breeding or Competition, I am sure that is what HHO said in their first report.

So, seems this dealer could be in very very deep dodo because if he was passing them off as breeding stock he must have falsified the passports too.

Breeding horses need to be included for both the racing and the sports breeding industries, but especially the TB racing industry as it does no allow AI and mares often travel to stallions in other countries, hell some of them go as far as Australia.
 
First off picky point but it is Romania..... sorry

Secondly I think if this is going on the number ten website as a petition it should be more understandable to the non-horsey. Maybe a bit about the effects of EIA.

Otherwise great get it up on the number ten website and post a link so we can all sign and pass the link on.
 
I am afraid I am not really very good or knowledgable on this matter so unable to offer any constructive ideas. However I would be happy to support anyone who is able! So thank you. I would also be happy to sign such a petition after further reading on the subject. (I have read a little already and the above sounded fine and sensible to me).
 
erm, please double check the spelling of Romania/Rumania
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Is it feasible to say that horses entering the UK should be quarantined until they've had a negative CT? There's no point in testing them to then move them, as has recently happened.

I don't know anything about competition horses or breeding but can anything be done to state that owners/ transporters of any horses being brought in for either purpose need to prove where the horse is going to, ie show that it really is here for competition or breeding rather than be able to claim it is breeding stock?
 
Jesus I hope they throw the book at this dealer, apparently he often has Rumanian cobs for sale at the markets, he is allegedly a mate of another dealer who is currently appealing his sentence for cruelty and neglect.


You do have a point re the breeding stock, however, we need the racing industry behind us on this and I am sure they would not back anything that caused them more hassle.
 
I would also perhaps not stress coming in from France - no where in the DEFRA report has it mentioned France - just Romania and belgium. I would say it is easier to insist all horses entering teh UK must be in posession of a negative Coggins - use the example oif Rabies in dogs. they have to be tested and jabbed to leave and enter the UK.
 
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Just to correct your picky point.. its Romania or Rumania or Roumania...All three are accepted.

Lou x

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Cool - never seen it spelt with a U. Might be worth using whatever is most generally used, say by the BBC or something.
 
Its a difficult situation because I could see it being used as a loop hole. What about something along the lines as a return license for horses exported... with a return time of a couple of months?

Do i make sense lol

Loux
 
Although this bin end dealer got away with it, these horses most definitely were not breeding stock, DEFRA also need to tighten up the passport laws re imported horses perhaps? All racehorses and most bonefide sports horses will have breed passports and must also now be microchipped, perhaps there should be a simple way to make sure that genuine breeding stock only can travel under the TPA, what that way is I do not know tbh.

My brain is hurting now - off to feed the neds
 
Sorry all horses should be included and have to be tested at the port/airport prior to entry to British soil as any horse can pick this disease up.

If you are going to do a petition then I would also suggest that you write to the Welfare Department of the BHS and ask them to all make representations to the Government and DEFRA.
 
I think it is a good letter. You will find yourself writing to Defra fot the next 6 months! You will feel compelled to reply to their letters, as their answers are never satisfactory IMO . Don't even ask them about circus animals! (not that you were going to)
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It could be that these horses were "imported for breeding purposes" because that way you dont have to pay import tax on them. The idiot that imported them should be hauled over the coals for this one!

I'd love to know who it is. Anyone got any ideas????
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry all horses should be included and have to be tested at the port/airport prior to entry to British soil as any horse can pick this disease up.

If you are going to do a petition then I would also suggest that you write to the Welfare Department of the BHS and ask them to all make representations to the Government and DEFRA.

[/ QUOTE ]

In a perfect world ALL horses would be included Peter, but if we want to stand a gnats chance in hell of getting the amendments through, the above would have to be exceptions - sad but true.
 
I'm confused as to how to make a proposal that's workable but still helpful. Surely a TB broodmare, even if it is entering the country to genuinely go to stud, is perfectly capable of carrying the disease? Potentially any horse coming in from abroad could have it. I would have thought the best thing would be to develop a vaccine and require all horses entering the country to have had it, like with dogs and rabies. I imagine that will be too expensive though.
 
Anybody have American connections? I think they are very strict on Coggins' tests and all horses must have them. Just wondered if their system could be cited as a workable one - if indeed it is. Will set about googling and researching myself.
 
My understanding is that for competition horses going abroad a vet must sign a health check within 10 days of departure so I assume the same is for racehorses?

I think given the loopholes even if we apply a min value (i.er how can you check this?) the only asnwer is for all animals to be checked?

Surely after this incident the racehorse industry will come on board simply because of the money they would loose if it got into one of their yards?
 
In America all horses competing or travelling interstate must be accompanied with current negative Coggins. Almost all events require this, including racecourses. Breeding horses also requre negative Coggins. Basically *ALL* horses who are being moved, competed or bred must have an up to date Coggins. No horses can enter the country without it.

I think the petition written on the previous page is too involved. The simple solution is to change the rules of importing horses to run in line with most countries who are occasionally affected by EIA in that all horses entering the country should have a current negative Coggins test accompanying their health certificates. This works well elsewhere and I cannot see what the big deal is with Britain dragging their heels to not get in line with other countries.
 
Years ago before the EU came into being all competition horses going abroad had to have a coggins test, surely if it was normal then it will not be hard to get people back into it.
The test does not take long to run and to extend it to racing would not cause a great deal of trouble since the trainers could have the blood taken at the same time as a routine visit if they were expecting to run a horse outside the country.
 
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