Sensitive Public Situation..... How would you handle????

[zippitydooda]

Perhaps as the president of your club, you could put in place a policy that states NO ONE will be able to participate in your show without having had their animals tested. You could require they provide a certificate of health showing the animals in question did not have the virus and/or has been vaccinated against it.

That way she would not feel like she was being singled out & discriminated against. Just an idea.

They do that for all 4H participants at fair to prevent pullorum in our state.

 

[lockedhearts]

Quote:
I am only worried about her horses, as all the other participants are local, only show local and with the same group of horses. Therefore, her horses do pose a risk, since she is getting horses from states known to have cases of this disease. We are not talking a large Show here, we are talking local! I am worried about this disease, and as I understand it after talking to my vet, there is no test for this disease and symptoms do not always present right away, so a vet check , unless horse is showing a fever or symptoms is not going to do much.

I am fully aware that her horses may not have been exposed, but then again, since horses are on her place from states with confirmed cases, they may very well could have been too.

I have tried not to openly say exactly what business this person is in, but I think anyone can figure it out, she buys and sells a large number of horses monthly through her place

 

[zippitydooda]

I just had another thought.... you said she buys & sells as a business? Well, as a business owner, I'm certain she would not want a bad reputation. And if it were me, I would want to protect all my investments as well.

Have you had a conversation with this person? It might be helpful to ask her outright what she has been doing towards prevention of this virus since she is most likely aware of it's existence. Perhaps she has already quarantined the animals in question and has had vet checks completed.

It might not hurt to approach her sounding like you assume she IS aware and cautious. Then there may not be any hurt feelings, and you may find out she has already addressed the situation.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I seriously doubt any veterinarian would be willing to test dozens or hundreds of horses that are symptom free so they can go to a show.

They just aren't doing that. It doesn't make any sense with the facts of the disease and how it works.

Even if the veterinarian were willing to do so (doing so would mean clogging up the turnaround on tests of horses that are ALREADY ACUTELY ILL and desperately need their results immediately), the test does not guarantee the horse won't get sick later.

 

[geebs]

I am from the west... Quarantine her from the show!!! PERIOD.... It is too high of a risk... Sorry guys... It is deadly.. Let's not spread it... It is some scary SHtuff out here right now... NO JOKE.. if anything...Media is underplaying it.

In Oregon we are serious... We have closed all events and shows.... The OHSET team in the entire state is on quaratine... Any competitors from some of the counties didn't even come because their horses would not have been let back in their barns... This is not a point of argument..Let her be mad... it's okay... There are things more important than her feelings at stake... WHAT IF you go forward and spread it... That just wouldn't be an option in my book.. Overprotective, maybe... so what? All of our events are rescheduled till fall and we have only 4 confirmed cases... It is a big deal.. THer is no way to treat it....It is deadly...She shouldn't have been dragging horses to Oklahoma during that time... THe quarantine is 3 weeks... I am in a week and 1/2 on quaratine.. I have cancelled all of my customers (hoofcare) for the month because I will not travel into other barns...No one is allowed in or out of my barn period.

 

[SourRoses]

I think the argument over her feelings or legal reprecussions is silly. Compare the impact of upsetting one person, to the number of participants, and child participants, that would be extremely upset to have their beloved animal die... and the legal ramifications of that.

It's really a no-brainer.

What I think would help is to make a rule/public policy, maybe even some signs or something up around the grounds during the show, something like...

It is against club rules to bring in any horses that may have been exposed to horses from affected states. Anyone who knows their horse has been exposed in any way, please remove your horse from the premesis immediately.


This way everyone will know the reason that anyone was excluded... hopefully quell any nonsense about it being political, over her shows... and who knows, there may be someone else who realises they need to exclude themselves as well.

I can't imagine that most of the people wouldn't thank you.

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
We are also quarantined in WA and every time another horse tests positve the date goes out further. My daghters horse is at a training facility and has been quarantined and we cannot bring her home.

I would say that anyone who has horses that have been to any State or purchased any animals from States were there have been cases of EHV should not attend. She poses a greater risk to all the others because of her busines, ask her not to come.

 

[geebs]

Get this fact straight ppl..... you don't need DIRECT CONTACT.... I believe we were told 30 degrees of separation... a horse that may have been in contact that contacts your horse.. THat really ups the anti...

 

[chickened]

I would cancel the event especially after reading all your posts that would make it real easy for you. It is not the end of the world you know. Give the virus time to run it's course, properly dispose of the infected ones and in 6 months or so after monitoring is done life will be back to normal. I foresee a bigger problem potentially if this whole thing is not treated as an epidemic.

 

[geebs]

Read up on the legalities of horse barn managers... There are real ramafications out there. At the state meet this all was just hitting so we didn't know how bad it was gonna get...No confirmed cases in oregon that we knew of.... and We all should have bought stock in Clorox... We sprayed everythng... in and out of the barns...shoes and horses feet... It was a big doing... It was UNFUN... We ran the gauntlet and we are all on lockdown... 700 horses from all over the state hauled in to Dechutes county.. and when we come home... We hear that there is a quarantined horse in that county... Then we come home to find out there is a quarantined one in our county and we don't know where.... We are all under quaratine... UG... I am not worried about mine as Our biosecurity was top notch... but the possibility remains.... We are paying the price in the wait right now.. I hope we threw some good dice.. had we not been part of a TEAM event.. my horses would never have left... Realistically and in hindsight.. our decision to go was stupid IMHO. But that is how it is with hindsight.