DPI Toowoomba........................... "One stop shop" what a joke!

My first experience with the DPI community centre in Toowoomba wastoday, I dropped in to get any information I could and pick up adecontamination kit knowing that i would be needing it anytime....(may as well have it on hand rather than going into town to pick it upwhen we are infected).

Well I have to say...... the ladies there were very friendly (toocheerful in fact.... its a bit much for someone who feels like they have had one too many kicks in the guts lately... but that’s another story). Anyways.... my point being... she advises me that they are STILL waiting on them from the DPI...... I cannot believe it..... EI is rife in Toowoomba and surrounds and has been for a couple of weeks now.... I say to the very nice lady.... 'oh you have run out and waiting for some more'? 'No' shesays..... 'we haven’t had any yet'.... 'we have been told they are coming but DPI are still authorising them'..... WTF????? And she couldn’t even tell me when they might actually get them.....

If this is what’s going on....... its no bloody wonder why itsspreading so fast..... they cant even supply a decom kit when they are most needed...? DPI you have done it again!

Sindy.

Letter to the NSW ministers office

I agree that we should support the Horse Council as our representatives but maybe we in NSW should do what has been done in QLd. Good on them.

I have written the following email to the NSW ag minister after talking to Peter Primrose who is the leader of the Upper House in NSW,he referred me to the person addressed. Mr Quinlan is the appointed 'liason person' to the pleasure horse industry for Mr MacDonald's department.

I urge all of horsedeals readers to send emails to this address. Kevin.quinlan@macdonald.minister.nsw.gov.au or ph. 02 92283344

THANK YOU HORSE DEALS for your time and efforts for us all.

Dear Mr Quinlan,
I have been referred to your office by Peter Primrose re the EI situation.

I like hundreds of thousand horse owners am appalled by the blatant prejudice towards the racing industry and the lack of support both financial and moral towards the recreational horse industry.

I note that the Victorian government has offered compensation packages to non profit clubs that were unable to hold their normal events and have lost thousands of dollars in revenue. All the NSW govt has offered is a refund of expenses that may have been incurred by clubs not a cent for lost revenue. Are we that broke in NSW that our clubs and such cannot get a helping hand when they are not to blame ?

We object strongly to taxpayers money being used to vaccinated racehorses whist the resr of us are refused protection for our horses. We are expected to just let our horse get sick, shut up and keep paying our taxes so it would seem.
The racing industry has multi millions of dollars available to use in a crisis and they have not hesitated in crying poor and demanding special treatment. This is creating enormous resentment in the rest (over 80%) of the horse world. Your department has succeeded in driving a wedge between horse people that will last a lot longer than the EI epidemic.
Despite what the DPI and the media are saying or not saying as the case may be, there are fatalities occurring in the non racing sector. Foals are dying from EI, mares are aborting , elderly kids ponies are unable to handle the effects of catching EI and horses that were fit and healthy and much loved by their owners, are being reduced to wrecks and may never recover their former health.

And I'm not even referring to the so called 'elite' horses, because, they like the race horses are 'high value'. What an insult to the rest of us!
I know that the blame will be apportioned in due course, but in the meantime, the DPI has made a total hash of this. They are not even sticking to the AustVetPlan as racehorses that are NOT in threatened areas ,infected areas or buffer zones are being vaccinated so that racing can start again. well what about the rest of us people and horses in limbo?
Please tell me how your department can justify ignoring thousands of brood mares and stallions of breeds other than thoroughbreds? What gives your office the right to play God with people's lives? If people are prepared to pay for vaccination why forbid them? why also are these same people expected to pay a levy to pay for the vaccination of race horses outside of buffer zones.

I, like many thousands of horse lovers and owners, am VERY ANGRY at the arbitry treatment being handed out to people who are only too happy to co-operate and do the right thing.

We call upon the NSW government to lead the way in creating a fair system without prejudice and we'll all happily work with you.

Your sincerely, on behalf of the other 80%,
Penny Lane.

Horse flu: Qld university students the latest victims

Friday, 12 October 2007

The equine influenza outbreak is now affecting some university students.

More than 90 animal studies students at the University of Queensland's (UQ) Gatton campus, west of Brisbane, will have their work affected after two horses showed signs of EI.

"Samples have been taken this afternoon by Department (of Primary Industry) officers, however, the clinical signs shown by the horses are characteristic of the disease," a UQ spokesman said.

Judy Cawdell-Smith from UQ School of Animal Studies said the campus implemented precautionary best practice protocols to eliminate any possible EI spread.

Read more.

DPI - PERMIT APPLICATIONS

I have had my application to move my horse 2.5 km within a highly infected red zone denied. My horse was infected with EI. I asked me application be for travel on the 2 November 39 days after the last sign of infection.

Being that the DPI denied my application on the basis that;
1. no horses that have been infected will be permitted to travel.
2. told by the very same people that you are not classed as infected until you have been tested
3. that the same people left a message saying you will not be testing my horses or any in my area.

I dont see how they were infected if the DPI do not recognise untested horses as having contracted EI.Secondly Morgan Park horses left and they were all infected!

My horse was to be leased for 18 months for breeding purposes by a long time breeder and judge of our breed. We only need to move 2.5 km within our highly infected zone.

The DPI have since relooked at my application and have agreed in there eyes she was not infected. But will not permit travel now on the basis she may be in the incubation stage of EI on the day of travel and may infect horses in the are she is moving too. HUH?
2.5 km = in my area = in the new area.

They are very same people who claim it can travel by air for many Kms.

I know the DPI seem stupid but not to be able to read there own literature is comicale to say the least. In my opinion the public knows more about EI then the very people trying to control it.

Regards,
Laura Scott.

Racehorse vaccinations good for all of us!

I know that most people out there are pretty upset about the bias towards race horses in this vaccination fiasco, however just think about the benefits to all of us:
1. When those racehorses break down and become $500 hacks, your next goodhorse will come with a microchip and EI vaccinations!

2. The vaccinated race horses will be unable to be dumped at doggers, therefore even more cheap hacks will become available without having to haggle with the dogger!

3. The after effects of training a racehorse who has had EI will ensurethat many more of these horses will be unable to race competitively, andwill be advertised for $500 even sooner than usual!

4. The "Off The Track" section of HorseDeals will have to be expanded to allow for all the has-been racehorses that are now unable to race or be dogged, giving us all even more pages of the most fabulous magazine to read!

5. The viability (or otherwise) of the EI vaccination will be able to be fully tested in the racehorse population and not on our valuable friends and family members.

Yours in jest.
Jennifer Qld

Vaccination Policies

There are heaps of complaints about racehorses getting vaccinated. Reason they are vaccinated is to protect racing not the health of the individual horse. To get racing back to normal they are going to have to send horses into purple zone to fill the fields at Randwick etc. Need to ensure they won't get infected when they go into training. Randwick horses have all got sick - need to spell and won't be back for a few months.

The lack of racing is a huge cost to racing industry, associated businesses and state coffers - hence they got preference. BTW this is a cost caused by the disease not the control program - something that the detractors overlook.

Although everyone wants blanket vaccination in the green zones, we do not have adequate numbers of vets or vaccine to do this. An additional problem with blanket vaccination in green zones with killed vaccine - we would not be able to detect the spot fires.

We are having to put priorities on vaccine usage - the highest priority is for buffer zones. We have just started to vaccinate the uninfected horses in the red and purple zones. Priority will be round the edges of the purple zone to widen the buffers starting around Scone. Also to be vaccinated will be high value, high risk non-racing horses in the purple zone. A large riding school will be among the first properties protected.

We have put in a large order for killed vaccine - how and where it is used will depend on the situation when it gets here.

Rod Hoare
Industry Liaison

More for Rod from my wife !

Well nice to hear from you Rod, instead of the girls replying on your behalf, not answering anyones questions. Sorry if we don't feel sympathetic to you working 12 hour days getting paid all that overtime. There are people out there looking at loosing their homes due to being unable to pay the morgages, but then that's not your problem.

I have a couple of questions that no one at your department seems to want to answer.

• If everything is going to plan, as your reports each day say they are "within your projections" then, just HOW much longer will we be locked down ??
• What are your plans for the Amber zone. So far we haven't been fortunate to have an EI meeting in Orange, when will we get one?
• You say that the vaccine DOESN'T prevent infection OR spread, but lessens the duration and symptoms should they become infected. But here you state that your looking to vaccinate horses so they can enter the "Purple" zone to compete.....how the heck does that make sense ??
• Will they be allowed to leave and go back to the Amber & Green zones??
• Green zones can have comps as can the purple zones but where does that leave the red & amber zones. Is it ok for us to loose money, and competitions ??
  
• How long till horses in the purple zone that have had EI and recovered, can be "released" to go home to Amber or green zones ???

Why didn't we have a total lockdown till the "fire fighters" knew where the fires really were. The only reason you have spot fires is because you let horses move to soon. Had you not bowed to pressure from the racing & TB breeding sector, as the majority of us believe, then this would be much more under control. The only person your trying to convince with your blog, is YOU.

Why can't the amber zone have the same privileges as the green & purple zones, staying in their pretty coloured lines, but reporting to the "parole" officers like they do ?? Like your staff said, the best way to gain immunity and to burn this virus out is for horses to catch the flu. Either you want us to all catch it or all not catch it.....which one is it? One last question, originally the purple zones were closing on October 19th, is this still the case ?

Looking forward to not getting answers as per usual Amber zone detainee Sorry if we're irritating you & the minister with our petty questions, but this is not your livelihood and passion that's being done over by the Aust Governments negligence. Your not loosing money or precious foals & horses. As I see it, all your loosing is your sleep and family time. So please don't tell us we're being emotional, irrational, rumor mongering etc. Until we start getting proper answers from your department to our questions then we can only go on our instincts and experiences with dealing with the DPI. Try looking at it from OUR side of this fence.

Peter Roughley

Fair to vaccinate ?????????

WELL I TOO OWN A SMALL BUSINESS. IF SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT EFFECTED MY BUSINESS I HAVE INCOME PROTECTION INSURANCE.I ALSO INSURE MY MORTAGE AGAINST LOSS OF INCOME. NOT SAYING I DISAGREE WITH YOUR NEED JUST PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE, IF YOU RUN A SMALL BUSINESS, THINGS MAY AND PROBLY WILL HAPPEN TO UPSET THE APPLE CART. I WOULD NEVER RELY ON OUR GOVERNMENTS BAILING ME OUT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME MORE NEEDING TINY COUNTRY OVERSEAS THAT WILL RECIEVE MILLIONS OF GOVERNMENT DOLLARS BEFORE ME.

PETER. R

Misinformation update

Misinformation update would be more accurate.

Equine influenza – daily update from NSW DPI for 15 October 2007

"There are currently 4536 Infected Properties (IPs), 449 Dangerous Contact Properties (DCPs) and 461 Suspect Properties (SPs)."

Please refrain from insulting our intelligence.

I have 5 friends who phoned today to advise they now have infected properties.

Every one was told their name and address was not needed.
this despite there is supposed to be a $22,000 fine for not doing so?

The operator would not take their details. saying that as they are in the red zone this information is not needed?

So is that figure you quoted only for infections in the amber zone???

Yours faithfully Sandra Himsley

A national body to represent all...

Hi

As an affected horse industry person I am reading this excellent blog every day as part of my efforts in keeping informed on all things EI.

Before my income dried up when our horses developed EI - the last cheque I wrote was my membership to the Australian Horse IndustryCouncil (http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/) or AHIC.

This body works tirelessly for the benefit of the whole industry and is
run on a voluntary basis.

It has functioned for many years and is recognised as the peak horse industry body by governments & their departments.

Instead of forming new assocaitons/alliances we need to get behind theAHIC so it can capitalise on all its hard work and ram home the important issues facing our industry.

Some help/advice I have been looking for is - how to bring EI affected
horses back into work as soon as possible after their rest without
jeopardising their health. Would appreciate any suggestions/experiences.

Mark Williams (New South Wales)

Tasmanian Situation 5pm Monday

Folks

Not much to report.

The feedback from our surveillance today was all positive. Previously sick horses either much the same or getting better. Horses that were well but had been in some sort of contact with the "horses of interest" are still well.

The test results we were expecting from Geelong today haven't arrived yet. I guess there's a fair bit of today left, The three NW properties that have the "horses of interest" remain under quarantine pending the Geelong results. If those results are negative, the quarantine on those properties will be lifted.

The number of reports we are getting of snuffly horses has dropped dramatically - indeed, only one today.

And that horse didn't have clinical signs that might concern us, but we have taken samples and sent them to the labs as routine. We are, of course, hoping that the lack of calls to our control centre about horses looking a bit unwell is a reflection of horse health out there and not complacency! I'll do another update tomorrow morning.

Barry Calderbank
Communications Biosecurity and Product Integrity
DPIW New Townph 6233 6300 or 0407 858 293

THE PERFORMANCE AND PLEASURE INDUSTRY HAS COMMENCED - 80% OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY NOW HAS A UNITED VOICE

THE PERFORMANCE AND PLEASURE INDUSTRY HAS COMMENCED - 80% OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY NOW HAS A UNITED VOICE

Well Good Morning Equine Community,

I have some fabulous news to share with everyone. We, 'the previously referred to bunch of non-racing entities' now have a unified voice. It gives me enormous pleasure to announce that we can now be known as:
"The Performance and Pleasure Horse Industry"

Briefly, after a meeting of The Premier's office and six (6) Directors General with the State govt ˆ it became obvious that the racing industry was so well organised to a point that one person could be contacted to speak on their behalf so their Racing Industry decisions, requests and communication was swift and organised. As you well know, the Racing Industry (20% of equine industry) has been able to achieve great success for their members because of this organised effort. (along with other reasons, of course)

Gov't wanted to make contact with us, the other 80% of the equine industry but didn't know how to be able to contact so many varied groups and disciplines (and the list goes on as we all know) to actually get any form of consensus going re: EI. Keep in mind we are only talking within Qld borders for the present time.
So an industry liaison officer was appointed and a very hastily called meeting at RNA grounds yesterday inviting just ONE rep from such an immense and diverse range of the 80%. Of course, Peter Toft was heavily involved in helping to organise this event.
Simply the meeting was to positively discuss and raise issues within the 80% and to see if the meeting reps could form a group of experienced, passionate, horse and donkey related persons who could also represent a broad cross-section of the entire equine community. NOTE: it was clearly stated from the outset there are no political agendas, no singular or individual agendas ˆ it was all about positive unity and positive action.

The meeting was given the request to come up with a group of five (5) to sit in with the already two existing seat members of EFA, and QHIC to act as a unified Crisis Working Committee ˆ well the meeting came up with a unanimous choice of eight (8) intelligent, experienced, passionate, committed persons who were willing to commit to forming the initial united voice to state gov't and virtually give up their own personal and business lives. They needed to be available to meet together at a moments notice, travel and stay at their own expense, give up their own lives for the foreseeable future.

In fact they are meeting today at 11am ˆ and some committee members are having to travel up to 3 hours one way to be a part of this unique situation.
I was there at the meeting yesterday and I personally and professionally was very pleased and proud to have been there. Yesterday was the beginning of a new, united positive voice to state government to represent 80% of the equine industry. I have total trust and confidence in each of the reps to work together, work for us in a professional and cohesive manner. Lead by Peter Toft how could they go wrong.
The meeting's initial agenda was to see simply if such a singular voice of a Crisis Working Committee could be formed - DONE.

The overall three (3) main objectives are:
welfare of the horse, donkey et al (80%) unrepresented equine industry - STARTED YESTERDAY
getting back to work for the 80% - getting horses working asap, getting people working asap - getting a viable regime of movement permits for the industry to get back to work - STARTING TODAY
eradication of the EI virus - ALREADY STARTED
There will be of course other objectives, goals, aims and timelines - but the initial framework structure is now in place and the new situation with a positive enlightened unified voice has already begun. WE WILL ALL BE HEARD TOGETHER AND GET BETTER ACTIONS, DECISIONS, RESPONSES FROM THOSE WE PAY.

I hastily wrote down the initial eight (8) committee names (apologies if I misspell) - I have requested a brief history of each member and there will be more information coming out from today's meeting plus a statement from Natalie the Industry Liaison officer whose job it is to funnel and co-ordinate this committee's information through the internal beaurocratic workings of the six directors' department - to achieve the goals and outcomes this newly formed industry require. (in no particular order)
Don Ross
David Lovell
Kent Wells
Peter Toft
Ullrich Klatte
Tanya Targett
Graeme Aitkin
Martin Pettifer

From a brief introduction of their individual backgrounds, histories, experience, (which we will learn in more details later) I was delighted to have such an immense amount of talented, intelligent, committed, passionate persons representing me and in fact the meeting voted them in unanimously. So to have these individuals working together as a committee I believe we have started off on the right track and have complete trust and confidence in them. Our future is suddenly brighter but the hard work has just begun.

So, now it is our turn, to tell them what we want, when we want it, what we need, how quickly do we want it, what else needs to be done ˆ we The Performance and Pleasure Horse Industry need / must show this unified group our unified supportive voices ˆ their outcomes can only be as good as what information, facts, requests that we supply to them to act and speak on our behalf. And this group wants to hear immediately from as many individuals, groups, breeders, mums and dads, children, millionaires, farriers, retail sales shop attendants, vets, et al within this 80%. One of Natalie's initial goals is to set up 'an internet portal' ˆ (yeah, not sure either), but it will a state of the art website, email, blogs, fast links & press buttons facility that will become a central point of communication from us, between us, to government depts etc, etc. so stay tuned for this information and all other information.

PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL OUT, ONWARDS AND FORWARDS TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BE WITHIN OUR 80%, PRINT IT OUT AND HAND IT OUT, MAIL IT TO SOME ELDERLY FOLK WHO DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS OR WHO DON'T ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
THIS IS NOW OUR TIME, OUR UNIQUE SITUATION
AND THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING GREAT.
THE FIRST OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AND STARTED.
Wishing us all a speed recovery and great success,
Mark Freemantle
Pasture and Stable Services

EI Zones and Vaccination Buffers in NSW

EI Zones and Vaccination Buffers in NSW as at 12th October, 2007.
***CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE***

WE HAVE GOT A UNITED VOICE

HEY EVERY BODY WE HAVE GOT WHAT WE WANT A UNITED VOICE go to horse council web page and support them and our clubs and our fellow horse friends best news and thanks to those who organizied it.

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/

Sherrie

EFA South Australia Clarification

Today Horse Deals contacted the EFA SA to ask if a competition of some sort be it a show jumping event, hack show etc was to be run in SA would the EFA cover the insurance of this event?
The response from the EFA SA office was ‘if the event in question met the requirements of PIRSA and a permit was received for the event from PIRSA, EFA SA would sanction the event and therefore the event would be covered under EFA’s insurance’.

Vaccine types

I am from NZ. I am/was/(am eventually) importing a mare from a presentbuffer zone. I have queried the use of GMO vaccine horses being allowedinto NZ. Because NZ is a GMO free zone the answer was nope, nada, notlikely ever. So if you are into future exports to NZ ensure that yourhorses are vaccinated with the killed vaccine or they will not beallowed here.

Sheila Ramsay

Qld Updated Maps as at 14/10/07

***CLICK ON MAPS TO ENLARGE***

Zones, movement restrictions and infected properties in Queensland


Monday 15 October: There are currently 1167 infected properties in Queensland. Some of the new infected properties can only be explained as horse to human to horse or horse to human to human to horse - it is essential to follow biosecurity precautions to help stop the spread of this disease. Equine Influenza is still contained to the Red Zone in the State's South East. Vaccination, as part of DPI&F program of containment and eradication is continuing.

13 25 23 Now Open 8am-8pm 7 days a week: We're experiencing an enormous number of calls and so have extended our hours. The busiest time is in the morning, so please try to avoid calling around this time if possible. Thanks for your patience during this very busy time.

Poem

I hear painful raspy coughing,
and the heavy breathing loud,
As I walk down in the paddocks
I stop and stare in shock.

For no horses race and play,
or fight over the tossed hay.
The feed in my bucket rattles
but there is no answer at the gate.

the horses with there heads way down,
as in asleep,
an unnatural silence falls on the place,
we weep we cry we wait I fearfor them to rise,
wake up, and run and play again.

I walk from field to stable,
and enterhell it seems to me.
I walk slowly down the aisle,
the coughs they carry on.

I hear a thud I look in a stall,
look in, so forlorn.
A mare is down, a foal so still,
this is not right at all.
It will not stop,it will rest,
EI will take them all.

Henry.

Vehicle Registration

It has recently occurred to me that my horse float is sitting idle in my shed due to the Government declared stock standstill while my registration clock is ticking over.

Wouldn't it be a nice gesture if Premier Anna Bligh would implement a policy whereby those of us who have been affected by the EI were granted a free extension on our vehicle registrations equivalent to the time that has lapsed during the stock standstill.

This would serve a dual purpose:
(1) to alleviate the financial pressures on those affected by EI; and
(2) to act as an offset for recreational and pleasure horse owners who have incurred expenses as a consequence of the virus.


Naomi

Equine Influenza outbreak

Imagine what would happen if Foot and Mouth Disease were to be introduced into Australia?? The so-called government officials would not tell us for 2 weeks, as is the case with the EI Outbreak. Australia would be crippled in a matter of hours, not days or weeks. Because there are too many chiefs and not enough indians in the government at all levels, not just AQIS and the rest of the them.

And why should the racing industry get preferential treatment with the vaccines, after all it was the racing industry that bought the Equine Influenza into Australia. They should be made to pay for every single dose of vaccine for everyone who owns horses in Australia. How many billions of dollars are made from the racing industry every single year, and where does it go??

Heather, Central QLD

Attention people in the Red and Purple Zone.

This morning we were contacted by Dr. Tim Roberts, asking us to request people in the Red and especially the Purple zones to register for vaccination. Once horses in the Buffer zones are vaccinated the DPI will then move to unaffected horses in the Purple and Red zone. Horses on the data base will be contacted first.

We could not find the form on the DPI website, so we rang the NSW DPI and they told us; “The form to fill out is hard to find and not on our website”. However the helpful lady did give me the address where everyone can find the form.

It is important all people not effected in the RED and Purple Zones fill this form out if the want there horses vaccinated and at this point there is no charge for the vaccine.

Form for vaccinating in the Red and purple Zone follow this link;

http://www.surveymaster.com/ahic/q1.asp

Tasmanian Situation 10am Monday

Folks Essentially, nothing new overnight or so far today.

No new cases of horse with EI-like signs overnight. Please keep a close eye on your horses and contact your vet or DPIW if you see anything resembling the EI signs. ·

More PCR lab test results overnight from our Mt Pleasant labs – all results negative. Still awaiting results from Geelong, they should be here later today.

As advised yesterday, the horse standstill has been lifted and horses may move around within Tasmania.

Small gatherings of up to 10 horses allowed.
Race meetings allowed.

The Government has imposed a ban on non-racing horse events involving more than 10 horses. At this stage, we do not know when that decision is likely to be reviewed.

The ban on interstate horses coming into Tasmania remains in force. · Frozen horse semen from non-affected areas of the mainland is allowed by permit.

The restriction on importing used horse gear into Tasmania remains in force – allowed by permit only.

Our activities from the disease control centre today are, mostly, ongoing surveillance – in particular the horses that were suspect (I guess we can call them “horses of interest” now !) and the so-called “hot traces”. We will be trying to contact, by one means or another, the owners of the 75 horses that were previously contacted to check that their horses are still well.

We are doing further tests on those samples that returned a positive lab test result to try and determine why this happened. In registering your email address for direct advice on the EI situation, some of you supplied email addresses other than the one you were using. I think I have entered all those onto our emailing list, but………………..if you are not getting this email to the alternative address you provided, please let me know.

And thanks for your patience in all this. The level of co-operation from horsey folk has been wonderful and made our task easier than it might otherwise have been. If anything significant develops during the day, I’ll email again. Otherwise, I’ll do a summary of the day’s events and email around at 5ish this evening.

Cheers Barry Calderbank
CommunicationsBiosecurity and Product Integrity
DPIW New Townph 6233 6300 or 0407 858 293

Equine Influenza Recreational Organisation Grants

The Victorian State Government has established a grants program to assist non-government, not-for-profit equine organisations that incur financial losses due to the voluntary cancellation of events in Victoria during the recent Equine Influenza outbreak. Eligible organisations can apply for grants to reduce the burden of losses resulting from the cancellation of events that were scheduled to be held during the period 1 September 2007 to 31 October 2007.

The information in regards to these grants can be located on the website link listed below.

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfa.nsf/LinkView/6333E7EEE559A577CA257370007BEB1F2FCC42C90CB016EECA25734F000AFF44

Effect on foals

I just thought that I would let people know that a friend in Sydney had 8 mares (infected with EI) due to foal and EVERYONE of the mares have aborted their foals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the main concern for many breeders.

Louise

Protecting the horse & owner

Hi,
you probably have got a heap of these already, but I thought I would share with you. I work in the health industry and this photo was sent across many hospitals in Victoria to their infection control nurses. I thought it was quiet appropriate to see that the Victorian Health Industry has supported and recognised the current Equine Influenza crisis.
Cheers
Chris

Don't be so near sighted

One email here has really enraged me.

N. Martin from QLD has tried to make people believe that she had the right to vaccination, before 'paddock bashers', because her income depends on it.
Well sweetheart you obviously have not looked outside your front door or past your nose.

Do you really think that people are angry just because they can’t vaccinate their horses.

You are not the only pebble on the beach, let me assure you. You cry like you are the one and only person who is suffering an income loss. Boo Hoo.

Spare a thought for the farriers who cant work (have families and all the trimmings you talk about), the people who give lessons and train horses and need that income to support all the same bills you have. And I have not even scratched the surface of the suffering that is being felt right throughout the 'pleasure' horse industry.

You think everyone who doesn’t have a race horse has a 9 - 5 job. You are so near sighted to believe that you are more deserving than anyone else. So many people make their entire income from the horse industry, not just the race horse/trotters.
My husband is a farrier, and I could argue the fact that " I'm" more deserving than any other also (as if). We need to stay clean so that he can go from home to clients place with no chance of infecting them.

But no, instead we have sat idle, with no income. Suffering the same as you would have. Don’t you think WE need an income, or do only you count?

Everyone should have been equal, we are all suffering just as you would have.
We should have the same opportunity whether it be race or pleasure.

Desarae

Vet awaits horse flu test results for foals

A New South Wales Upper Hunter Vet is awaiting test results on four foals suspected of dying from equine influenza (EI).

Cameron Collins says given there are about 1,000 foals on the ground in the region, it shows how mild the strain of horse flu is.

Read more.

UPDATE - Caravan Of Courage Road Trip

Hi All,

We are now only about 2 hrs from the Queensland border. And just to let you all know we realise that everybody else is working hard at Horse Deals but we are flat out doing PR!!!!!! Thanks for the time off Kerri!

After nearly being flooded out while watching the show we made our way back to the motel room and were very happy to have a warm dry bed.

Today we made the treck of about 500km. The new Holden Viva that my mum lent us is doing a great job we have travelled about 2000km up to now.

We called into the big Banana at Coffs Harbour mind you it was no where near as big as the Big Ram (or it's plums).

Well of to Brisbane tomorrow morning to check in with Rove and the rest of the crew - can't wait. I am so looking forward to meeting Hughesy (Trish).

Well 'til next time, thanks for reading our blog and keep up the good work back there at Horse Deals.

Cheers From the Viva of Valor on the Caravan of Courage Tour.

Trish, Kirsty, and Jaime.

REPLY TO VACCINATING RACE HORSE IS FAIR-FOR SOME LIKE US

WAKE UP TO YOURSELF

GET A GRIP, WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING, YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGIC SITUATION, YOU NEED TO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND COME BACK DOWN TO REALITY. THE RACING INDUSTRY IS KNOWN TO BE A SELF-SERVING INDUSTRY, ONLY CONSIDERING THEIR HORSES AT A MEANS FOR ECONOMIC BENEFIT. PROVEN BY THE WAY THE VACCINATION PROCESS WAS DEVISED. PERHAPS IF YOU WERE IN SUCH DIRE STRAIGHTS YOU MIGHT TRY AND GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER JOB FOR THE TIME BEING TO HELP UNTILL THIS HAS ALL BLOWN OVER. AND AS FOR THE PADDOCK BASHERS AS YOU SO CALL THEM, TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE HORSES WE DONT TREAT THEM AS AN EMPLOYEE OR A WAGE EARNER, THEY ARE IN MANY CASES BELOVED FRIENDS TO CHILDREN TO WHOM HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF EI AND ITS AFFECT ON THE ECONOMIC STANDING OF PEOPLE AND THEIR BUSINESSES, SO THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE ANY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE RACE HORSES. IT MIGHT BE YOUR LIFE, BUT LITTLE KATIES PONY (PADDOCK BASHER) OUT THERE IN THE BACK YARD IS NO LESS IMPORTANT TO HER... THAT PONY IS HER LIFE. THE PLEASURE HORSE PEOPLE WOULD SPARE A THOUGHT FOR YOU GUYS IF THE GOVERNMENT AND YOURSELVES SPARED A THOUGHT FOR THEIR HORSES. THE 9-5 WORKERS AS YOU PUT IT ARE FARRIERS WORKERS IN SADDLE SHOPS, INSTRUCTORS ETC RELIANT ON INCOME FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE PLEASURE AND RACING INDUSTRY, WHAT ABOUT THEIR LIVELYHOOD, THEY FACE HARDSHIPS TOO. I AM SORRY THAT YOU ARE FACING SUCH HARDSHIP, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT SOME MUCH WORSE OFF THAN YOURSELVES, SO PULL YOUR HEAD IN AND DO AS EVERYONE ELSE IS, GET ON WITH IT..................

CHEERS AND WISH YOU WELL
AVID HORSE DEALS READER

Vaccinating Standardbreds the last straw

Can you believe some people have the temerity to believe their "breed" of horse has more rights than those in the so called recreational field. Sounds like those handouts are becoming attractive. Recreational "horses" have as much right to the vaccine. The vaccine will not get your standardbreds back on track any quicker than our "recreational" horses back to their breeders. Just because we don't claim our horses as a TAX DEDUCTION doesn't put us on a lower rung of the ladder. I hope you are enjoying the handouts from Centrelink to pay your mortgages, feed your kids. As long as you continue to look to someone else for support you'll be fine. Unlike us "recreational" owners who breed for a living without relying on the Govt for support we have nothing .

No Foals No Sales No Support.

A response to Vaccinating race horses is fair

This is a response to Vaccinating race horses is fair - for some like us!

I’m glad you got your vaccine as you get your sole income from racehorses but there are others of us out that here that get their sole income from the horse industry too and are not even looked at to get vaccine. If my horses get EI, I will have to close my entire business down as we post horse gear out all over the country and we cant take a chance for the virus to get onto any of the items going out. I am in the red zone and I applied for high priority vaccine over 10 days ago, have made 5 phone calls on different days and still heard nothing. That means the virus would have come at least 50 klms closer to me than it was when I applied. So I hope you can see why the rest of the country is up in arms.

Our livelihoods should matter just as much as yours.

Jody.