EI VACC IN ACT

I live in Canberra with my two dressage/show horses.

We are a Green Zone, but EI has made it to Temora (also a green zone, an hour and a half away).

Yesterday on the radio I heard that they were going to vaccinate 700 ACT horses.
I contacted DPI, who registered my interest in vaccinating my horses, but told me that only racehorses would be done. Some performance horses may be lucky if there was any vaccine left over, but of course there was not enough vaccine to do every horse in ACT.

I sent off an email to Territory and Municipal Services, and got a phone call first thing this morning from kerrin.styles@act.gov.au
He informed me that the only reason racehorses were being vaccinated was because the Racing Industry was the only Industry they had heard from.
He told me that it was not DPI or the Government that decided which horses would be vaccinated, but the Industry.
So, according to him, if Performance Horses were represented by EFA or similar, then they could request all their registered performance horses be vaccinated.
Apparently ACT at least has not heard from EFA or any other horse industry, except the Racing Industry. And this fellow didn't seem to know what the EFA was anyway.

Sadly, I guess the much loved family pony doesn't have much chance of being represented by any organisation. Unless Pony Club counts.

Like every one else, I guess I am just dreading the possibility of seeing my beautiful horses get sick, and worry that there may be serious complications from EI. I do however find it reassuring to read so many letters from horse owners out there who's horses have already recovered from EI, without too much of a fuss. Let's hope we are that lucky when or if EI hits ACT.

Concerned Canberra Horse Owner,
Ange