[ad_1]
A sick horse from County Weld is the reason why hundreds of horses in 19 states must be screened, tested and potentially euthanized or live the rest of their lives in quarantine.
And what frustrates horse owners the most is that Colorado law prohibits the Ministry of Agriculture from disclosing the name of the lot that sold the sick horse.
"We all know already," said Brittnee Woodward-Whithead, owner of Old Glory Ranch. "I do not know why it's a big secret."
What Keith Roehr, Colorado state veterinarian, could say is that a gelding (a sterilized male) was diagnosed with equine infectious anemia on August 24th. Federal law requires that an infected animal spend the rest of his days at least 200 meters from any other horse if the owner does not want to euthanize him.
The rules also require that any horse that has been in contact with the infected animal be kept in quarantine for 60 days as this is the time it will take for the test to be positive.
And that's where the problem started.
According to several people interviewed by The Denver Post, the horse in question belonged to an owner who buys and sells cattle across the country. Colorado authorities believe that 240 horses were on the scene with the EIA positive horse and were sold to people in 20 states. The EIA positive gelding was shipped to a buyer in Wyoming before his test results were returned – in direct violation of Colorado and Wyoming regulations.
"It's a hell of a lot to be honest," said Wyoming State veterinarian Jim Logan.
Colorado and Wyoming both require that horses be subject to a negative EIA test before they cross borders. The sick horse had his blood drawn before leaving Colorado, but the results did not return until he was in Wyoming. It is unclear whether the animal has passed a Coggins test for EIA in Colorado.
"That's exactly why states do not allow horses to have a Coggins on hold," Logan said. "What frustrates me the most is that people in Wyoming are totally unaware or unaware of the import requirements."
Logan is also frustrated by the owner of Weld County. The infected horse was one of many shipped to Wyoming without the proper papers. Wyoming can not impose a fine on the Colorado seller because it is up to the buyer.
"No one is applying these laws," Woodward-Whithead said. "It's a system of trust."
During all her years of buying, selling and transporting horses, she has never been arrested and has asked for the health certifications of her animals.
"It's appalling," said Woodward-Whithead. "People can get around the law and get it."
Fifteen horse owners in nine counties in Colorado receive orders while their animals are tested. The state still has to find nearly 100 more horses. Roehr asks anyone who bought a horse in County Weld between 18 July and 20 August to contact his office.
But it can not give the name or location of the properties in Adams, Arapahoe, Crowley, Delta, Douglas, El Paso, Mesa, Montrose and Weld counties – even if you live right next door.
This is how Kate's horses were potentially infected. Parker's resident neighbor has agreed to hold some of the potentially infected horses, but her property is not far enough apart to meet the 200-meter distance requirements for infected animals.
"They did not even tell us," said Kate, who asked for her family name to be withheld for security reasons. "It's frustrating, it's the least we can say."
She must now keep her horses on her property and wait until October to see if she should euthanize them.
"People do not realize that they are exposed because people waiting do not say it," said Kate. "It's just a nightmare."
Source link
