Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Health Requirements Governing the Control of Equine Infectious Anemia in Virginia [2 VAC 5 ‑ 70]

Action	Repeals the alternate testing requirements for horses assembled for sale or auction in Virginia
Stage	Proposed
Comment Period	Ended on 4/5/2010

7 comments

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1/18/10 8:28 am

Commenter: Peter and Jerry

support for rights! yes!

We support very strongly!

CommentID: 11222

2/7/10 8:19 pm

Commenter: smokeless cigarette

I agree

Thanks for this informative post..

CommentID: 11276

3/22/10 6:33 pm

Commenter: Sue Wakefield

Coggins Testing

I agree.

Coggins Testing should be required for horses exhibited at shows, fairs, or other exhibitions, or coming into contact with horses owned by others in Virginia.

All horses assembled at a show, fair, race meet, or other such function, or participating in any activity on properties where horses owned by two or more owners may come into contact with each other 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 or activity. 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.

CommentID: 13571

3/23/10 11:11 pm

Commenter: Jacob Robertson, VMI

In support of

This proposed regulation is attempting to protect the horses brought into and kept in Virginia from Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). EIA is similar to the HIV virus transmitted through humans. Horses infected with EIA can have three forms of the disease, acute, chronic and the asymptomatic carrier. Infected horses can die suddenly in the acute form and chronic form, but can live with no signs of infections in the asymptomatic carrier form. Horses can receive the virus from certain insects, contact with infected horses, and usage of infected needles on them. The virus only lives on insects for around 30 minutes so horses must be close together for the virus to be spread through insect contact. Other means of spreading the virus can be policed by sound human judgment on behalf of responsible horse owners. Horse owners whose horses have been diagnosed with EIA under this regulation will be given the options of keeping the horse isolated at 200 meters away from other horses on their property, sold to a slaughter house, or put down in a humane way.

To check for the virus, horse owners can have a Coggins test done on their horse. This test can be conducted by a trained vet at a cost between 20$-30$. The test is easily done and only requires a small amount of blood to be drawn from the horse. Before major testing was enforced, thousands of horses used to die in the U.S. annually from the disease. By having the test be mandatory at least every 12 months, horse owners will not have to fear that an outside horse could be an asymptomatic carrier thus threatening their own horses’ safety.

By passing this regulation, Virginia will become more horse owner friendly to horse owners inside and outside the state. Many other states already have mandatory EIA testing requirements in place with good results. By policing the horses inside our state, we will continue to thin out the presence of EIA and ensure a safe state to breed and raise horses for years to come. I support this regulation and wish to see it come into effect in the near future.

CommentID: 13583

3/25/10 9:49 am

Commenter: Bette B. Brand, Issues Chair, Virginia Horse Council

VHC supports proposed regulation change regarding EIA testing

On February 3, 2020, the Virginia Horse Council Board of Directors approved a motion to support the proposed reguation change regarding EIA Testing. It is the Council's belief that the best interest of the health of the industry and individual horses is better protected when testing applies to ALL horses where two or more are assembled. Additionally, the VHC supports eliminating the alternate testing requirement with regard to sales or auctions.

CommentID: 13590

3/31/10 5:08 pm

Commenter: Wendy W. Mathews BOD VHSA

Coggins Test

I am in favor of the proposed change to the current law regarding Coggins Tests for Equines.

CommentID: 13709

3/31/10 9:10 pm

Commenter: Cathette Plumer, Virginia Quarter Horse Association

Coggins Test

The Virginia Quarter Horse Association supports the updating to the Coggins regulation in the state of Virginia. We feel that anywhere 2 or more horses of different owners come into contact in a public area a negative Coggins test should be available for inspection by any person that has authority over the place of gathering where it be a state park, state or national forest, sale or show. Also, that all horses should have a negative Coggins test drawn before a horse goes to a sale or auction.

CommentID: 13710