Petition for Amendment to the Tripartite Agreement

The Tripartite Agreement which allows free movement of horses between the UK, France and Ireland was originally set up to make the movement of competition and breeding horses between the two counties easier.

The following categories of horse were included under this umbrella:

1. Wetherbys passported (to cover breeding & racing)
2. FEI passported (to cover competition horses)
3. Breed Society passported (to cover breeding stock)

In the era of it’s conception, the TPA could be monitored efficiently due to the limited number of relevant horses. The vehicle capability was poor by today’s standards, and cross channel travel was slow, laborious, and expensive and therefore unprofitable for unscrupulous dealers or those at the lower end of the market. However we are now in an era where cross channel travel is fast, and efficient, thus it has become far more cost effective. It has never been so easy to transport a horse from other European countries and potentially abusing the TPA by going via France over to the UK - and the huge increase in horse movement renders it virtually impossible to police effectively.

We have some thoughts on the possible changes that may be effective without ostracising the major sporting and breeding industries on our website.

The current outbreak of EIA might have been contained - it might not.

We believe that whether EIA is restricted to these two horses in one area or becomes a UK wide disaster for horse owners, is very much dependant on how DEFRA handle this from now on. We owe it to our horses to do everything in out power to force DEFRA to overhaul their system and prevent a repeat of the foot and mouth debacle.

Please show your support by signing this petition requesting changes to the TPA -

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TPAchanges/

Horse Industry on Red Alert

News has just broken that two horses have been humanely destroyed in Wiltshire due to them carrying the deadly Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) — often termed "swamp fever". Even if an infected horse never displays the signs of the disease, it will always carry it. Most positive horses remain clinically normal, but are infectious to other horses for life as they are incapable of clearing the infection from their body. Any horse known to carry the disease HAS to be humanely destroyed. This is not only for the welfare of the infected horse but also to protect other horses from infection. The virus is transmitted by blood biting insects, therefore the risk of spread is high during warm weather. It occurs typically in low-lying swampy areas (hence the layman’s term “Swamp Fever”) that serve as an ideal habitat for biting insects such as mosquitos and midges.

The two horses found to be carrying the disease arrived in the UK before Christmas as part of a group of ten imports, nine from Romania where EIA is prevalent. The other seven horses tested negative. The tenth horse imported from Belgium is due to be tested shortly.

The yard where the outbreak has been reported is now isolated and DEFRA is currently working to find out movements of other horses through this yard. They are hopeful, due to the recent cold snap, that they have managed to contain the virus.

Most horses being imported from Romania are horses which bin end dealers have purchased extremely cheaply, often from the abattoir, to sell on for a profit to unsuspecting buyers. These dealers neither seem to realise nor care about the impact importing untested horses may have on the UK herd.

That is, until now, when the effect is directly on their pocket, and their future business.

Some questions need to be asked about the shipment of these horses. In order to comply with DEFRA regulations, horses being imported from Romania must have a Coggins Test* done. A negative result on a blood sample allows the horse to travel within 30 days, and the transporters must carry the appropriate paperwork with the passports. Had this happened with these horses, EIA would have been picked up and the horses refused entry to the UK.

It begs the question once more, WHY are there not sufficient checks at the ports to prevent this happening? This needs to be a major wake-up call to those who supposedly police the movement of horses from abroad.

*Coggins Test checks for EIA antibodies in the blood. Samples must be taken and analysed at an approved veterinary practice. Named after Dr Leroy Coggins who developed the test in the 1970s.

“History is a better guide than good intentions”, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick (American Diplomat, b.1926)

Ilex came into the UK in 2008 via a UK forum that specialises in 'rescuing' horses from the abattoir. Her new owner was told that she had mud fever, however shortly after her arrival it was diagnosed as a granulated tumour (and sadly, probably the reason why she was destined for the abattoir in the first place).

Ilex was loaned out by her owner in early 2009 and she subsequently was passed on to a new owner for a token sum. Unfortunately, Ilex's condition degenerated to the point where it was recommended that she be humanely destroyed and her owner organised for a local slaughterer to come and collect her...

Which should be where the story ends, rather than continuing as though being written by Lemony Snicket - and I can assure you dear reader that he has had no hand the recording of the following sickening events...

The slaughterman was paid to collect Ilex and take her back to his premises where he was supposed to deliver the final coup de grace and then organise her crematation. However, Ilex was apparently sold on by him to a dealer - who if the story is to be believed, intended to ship Ilex to the continent for human consumption - the very fate that was she was 'rescued' from in France!

However....

Another dealer visited this dealer and being in the business of 'rescuing' meat horses from France, recognised Ilex.

A deal was made between the two, and Ilex again finds herself being an Urgent Case on a UK rescue site where donations are requested and made in order to 'secure her future'.

INAG understants that Ilex is now at the home of the Dealer/Rescuer, but if Ilex's tumour really is having such a profound effect on her quality of life that euthenasia has already been recommended, this may well have to wait until it is determined by law who is her legal owner.

INAG predicts that the fallout from this one case we have highlighted will have far reaching consequences for many and to quote Lemony Snicket - 'If you are interested in stories with happy endings you would be better off reading some other book.' Sadly, the one who should have had the happiest ending - Ilex - is still suffering and her owner is devastated at the situation!

Perhaps on reflection, Albert Camus actually sums this whole crazy situation better - 'The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.' Because yet again, we are witnessing the suffering of a horse through the ignorance and 'good intentions' surrounding French Rescue!


INAG will be following Ilex's outcome with interest!

***URGENT*** DEADLINE 21st JANUARY 2010

100,000 horses are transported across Europe for slaughter every year. Horses can be slaughtered at source and transported as carcasses, thus there is no reason for live transport to continue. In France alone there are 111 abattoirs approved to slaughter horses. Thus is makes no humane or economic sense to continue with live transport.

Please contact your MEPs before the 21st January to ask them to sign the Written Declaration 54/2009.

If more than half of all MEPs sign this before 21st January 2010, we will be one step closer to ending these brutal and unnecessary journeys.

If less than half of the MEPs support the Declaration it will fail, weakening the case for new laws ending the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter in the European Union.

Please take a few minutes to write to your MEPs so we can end these needless long haul journeys of horses to slaughter.

To find your MEP in Europe, go to this LINK, click on your country and then your region.

MEP letter French

MEP letter UK

Your efforts could make the difference that changes the future for these horses.