BHA and BHS advice on foot and mouth outbreak

Below are the press releases from both BHS and BHA regarding horse movements.

BHS Statement

The British Horse Society welcomes steps taken by the Government to date to contain the foot and mouth disease outbreak near Guildford Surrey

No restrictions have been placed on horse movements outside of the 3km protection zones around the affected premises.

Full details of the extent of these zones can be found on the Defra website http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0803.htm#briefing

However, horses can only be moved in or out of the 3km protection zones under licence. Within the zone horses cannot be moved from premises to premises where there are susceptible animals on the same premises, except under licence.

Horse boxes and trailers cannot be moved from premises within the 3km protection zone, where susceptible animals are kept except under licence.

Mark Weston, Director of Access, Safety and Welfare said: "Whilst there are no restrictions on horse movements outside of the 3km protection zone it is important that all horse owners and riders are vigilant and do everything they can to help prevent the spread of the disease and observe the highest of bio security measures on and off their own yards."

For more information, please contact: Mark Weston, BHS Director of Access, Safety and Welfare, on 01926 707760 or m.weston@bhs.org.uk .

British Horseracing Authority Statement

The British Horseracing Authority is concerned to hear Foot and Mouth Disease has been confirmed in Wanborough, Surrey and hopes that the impact on the farming community can be kept to a minimum.

Horses are not affected by the farm animal movement restrictions which have been imposed nationally by DEFRA and we envisage no immediate impact on racing as no racecourse lies within the exclusion or surveillance zone - all race meetings go ahead as planned.

Licensed trainers within the 3km exclusion zone are prevented from moving their animals and therefore will not be able to have any runners under Defra's movement restrictions.

As a precaution, the British Horseracing Authority instructs any licensed trainer within 10kms of the infected premises (inside the surveillance zone) not to move horses to the racecourse until a decision has been taken on any necessary bio security measures.

We are in discussions with the Turf Club and France Galop and will update trainers, through Weatherbys, as soon as we know the position on horses based in Britain running in France and Ireland.

We are closely monitoring developments and keeping racing's stakeholders updated.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Attached is DEFRA's Foot and Mouth Order that was issued yesterday. We would be very grateful if you could highlight the map which shows the exclusion and surveillance zones in any coverage.

For further information please call Paul Struthers, PR Manager, on 07966 590105.

 

 

 

August 6th, 2007