> The present Ebola crisis in the world is frightening. I have submitted the > > following letter to the editor of the Lewiston Morning Tribune: > > Editor, Lewiston Morning Tribune: > > If I wish to import a horse into the United States from Liberia or any > > African country other than Morocco, the horse needs to undergo a 60 day > > quarantine period at a USDA approved quarantine facility prior to mingling > > with the general population of horses in this country. Africa has a disease > > called African Horse Sickness that does not exist in the US; this is the way > > we have kept it out of this country. African Horse Sickness does not cause > > disease in people, only horses; our government has determined that it would > > be devastating to the US horse industry if it were to come here. > > The United States (and virtually all other countries) require a myriad > > of tests and often quarantine prior to bringing in a foreign animal. > > I cant legally cross state lines in the United States with a horse or > > cow without a health certificate signed by a USDA accredited veterinarian > > stating that the animal has been inspected and found free of infectious > > disease. In most cases blood tests are also required. In fact I cant > > legally cross the Snake River and ride my horse in Idaho without a health > > certificate and a negative blood test for Equine Infectious Anemia. > > Im not complaining; the United States of America, the States of Idaho > > and Washington as well as the other 48 states take the health of our > > livestock very seriously, and we have a very good record at keeping foreign > > animal diseases out of our country. I am happy to do my part to maintain > > biosecurity in our animal population. > > If I am a resident of Liberia incubating Ebola, to enter the United > > States all I need to do is present a valid visa, and lie when asked if I > > have been exposed to Ebola. Within hours (no quarantine required) I can be > > walking the streets of any city in the United States. > > I feel very fortunate to live in a country that values our animals so > > highly
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 02:56:58 +0000
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