Friday, June 27, 2014

Virginia Codes That Affect All Horse Owners In The State, 2 VAC 5-70-20 Coggins Certificate

English: "Golden girl" – Horses (unk...
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The Code:

2 VAC 5-70-20. Testing requirements for horses exhibited at shows, fairs, or other exhibitions in Virginia
All horses assembled at a show, fair, race meet, or other such function in Virginia, must be accompanied by a report of an official negative test for equine infectious anemia conducted within 12 months prior to such event. The person in charge will ensure that a copy of the official negative test results accompanies each horse in the event, and shall make such reports available for inspection by a representative of the State Veterinarian upon request. The person in charge shall exclude any horse which is not accompanied by a negative test report.

Now for further state interpretations:

REGULATORY SERVICES
Instructions to Equine Event Managers:
The State Veterinarian’s Office will continue to contact equine event managers as we have in previous years to ensure that all participating horses have a valid negative Coggins.
Any organized equine show, sale, exhibition, contest, fair, trail ride, parade, wagon train, charity or social event, or any other occurrence at which any number of horses of more than one (1) owner are gathered, is considered to be an equine event and proof of a valid negative Coggin’s is required. A valid test is one which has a negative result from blood drawn less than one (1) year from the event date and matches the horse presented. One person should be designated by the organization to serve as the equine event manager. Additionally, the event manager is subject to notification prior to the event from the State Veterinarians Office to provide documentation in the form of a report, that each horse at the event has a valid negative Coggin’s test.

2VAC-5-70-20 of the regulation entitled “Health requirements governing the control of equine infectious anemia in Virginia” states that:

The person in charge will ensure that a copy of the official negative test results accompanies each horse in the event or activity, and shall make such reports available for inspection by a representative of the State Veterinarian upon request.  The person in charge shall exclude any horse which is not accompanied by a negative test report.

You want to read the above very very closely.  Anywhere there are a number of horses from more than one owner are gathered, is considered to be an equine event.  That means riding in public for pleasure or as a form of transportation and you should even pass another rider from another farm or stable, then you have just created an event where a coggins is required.  Said coggins must be less than one year old.  The distance between riders and or horses or equine is not at all specified and wide open to interpretation causing a great deal of confusion.  

  That would also seem to mean that you can not even take a horse off of your own property without the potential of possibly meeting another horse in public without a coggins in pocket.  Again, read the code very closely.  EIA has not been a real issue from what we know for many years.  But the requirements are becoming more stringent anyway.  Though the reasoning is stated for safety reasons, it could also be the start of the death blow to even wanting to own any form of equine which is going to cause some very serious issues as we move forward.  Unintended consequences.  God put man above all animals and foul and man puts animals and foul above his fellow man.  Brilliant concept there don't you think?

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