Horse owners must help keep SA flu free: vet

Friday 19 October, 2007

A leading Adelaide Hills veterinarian says that horse owners need to take greater responsibility to keep SA free of horse flu.

Dr Harry Frauenfelder says Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) is doing everything it can to reduce the risk of horse flu entering the state but horse owners have a huge role to play.

“People who own horses, or property where horses are kept, have an enormous responsibility and they must take up the challenge,” Dr Frauenfelder said.

“Under the right conditions, the virus can survive for several days on people and unless they have showered and changed their clothes and properly decontaminated themselves, they present a significant risk of transferring virus particles to noninfected horses.”

Dr Frauenfelder said that there were some simple but very important things that horse owners and property owners should do. “Don't travel interstate to those areas where there are infected horses and return to SA; that's simply asking for trouble and putting at risk every horse and donkey in the state,” he said.

Also, confirm all previous contacts and travel details of any potential interstate visitor to your property before they arrive. If in doubt, don’t let them or their equipment onto your property.

“Do keep a close watch on your animals and report any symptoms to PIRSA's Animal Disease hotline – 1800 675 888 and do practice good hygiene and biosecurity.

“They're not hard things to do but it's important that everyone realises that where this disease is concerned ….every horse owner has a policing role. It is critical that horse (and donkey) owners don't drop their guard; we don't want horse flu here.

“We have been lucky so far, so let’s keep it that way for the horse’s sake.”

People wanting more information about horse flu and equestrian activities in SA can contact:

  • PIRSA website – www.pir.sa.gov.au
  • PIRSA hotline – 1800 675 888
  • Their equestrian clubs and associations
  • Horse SA 0402 488 306