*ALERT*-Traveling w/horses to Kentucky?

["Susan Swope-Attardi" <Nagzarus@worldnet.att.net>]

Kentucky Department of Agriculture Officials began cracking down in state in
the month of July.  Please be aware that if you are attending a ride (horse
show, trail ride, or just passing through for that matter), that state
officials will be checking for both a negative coggins test (within 12
months-unless going to sale, in which case it is 6 months) AND a 30 day
veterinary health certificate.  You will need BOTH of these documents or you
will not be permitted entrance to the event you are wishing to attend.  In
addition, if pulled over in route, you may well be escorted to the state
line.  Granted, these things should go without saying when traveling with
horses, but at a recent Kentucky ride, ride several out-of-state riders did
not have health certificates and the state officials were quite serious
about their job.  Thankfully, Ride Management and Head Vet Duane Barnett,
DVM was able to smooth things over quickly.  Duane performed health checks
to the satisfaction of officials, who watched with a critical eye and did,
indeed, issue written "warnings."  (Try as they might... the fun was not
spoiled, the official was quickly put in the back of folks minds and the
ride went right on and a good time was had by all! ;)

Ride managers be forewarned... I have no idea whether or not this is a
reflection of things to come in other states, or if, indeed, things are this
strict in other states and we have been spoiled here; but, we were told by
the officials that in the future we must state clearly on our ride forms
that both of these documents would be required along with the details and
that officials WILL be present and checking before horses come off of the
trailer.  I've been to numerous rides around the country in which state
requirements were not mentioned on literature, and in my opinion, when
traveling with horses it is the responsibility of the person behind the
wheel to have the proper documentation when crossing state lines, but, this
is what we were told and we will, indeed, comply in the future.  Here are
some excerpts from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture website:

1) General requirements.
(a) All horses and other equidae entering Kentucky shall be accompanied by a
Certificate of Veterinary Inspection except horses and other equidae
purchased at an approved out-of-state horse sale. Certificate shall include
all tests that have been conducted as well as all vaccinations including
vaccination date and type of vaccine used.

b) Attached to the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection shall be a copy of a
certificate of report from a laboratory approved by the USDA showing the
animal(s) to be negative to an AGID test or other USDA approved test for
equine infectious anemia.

and...

3. All horses and other equidae six (6) months of age or older, except
unweaned foals accompanied by their dam, offered for entry for reasons other
than sale (i.e., entry into fairgrounds, livestock showgrounds, public
boarding stables, trail rides, racing, etc.) shall be negative to an AGID
test or other USDA approved test for equine infectious anemia within twelve
(12) months prior to entry.

(j) Veterinarian's statement that examination was made within the past
thirty (30) days and revealed the animal(s) to be free from symptoms of a
contagious, infectious or communicable disease or exposure thereto.


For further details on Kentucky see the KDA website at:
http://www.kyagr.com/state_vet/ah/programs/equineprogs/anemia2.htm

For information within your home state see the State Ag Department's website
at:  http://www.agdomain.com/html/government_state_ag.jsp

Susan Swope-Attardi
AERC Southeast Region
Kentucky