EQUINE SCIENCE UPDATE

EASING THE BURDEN OF BRAZILIAN WORK HORSES

Jason Black, WSPA Communications Officer

Working in cooperation with Gov- ernor Alceu Collares, of the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has established a veterinary clinic to care for the more than 3,500 draft horses in Porto Alegre. The clinic was officially opened on July 13, 1994.

Collares, who is a former operator of working horses, was very sympa- thetic to the concerns raised by WSPA, and worked to identify an appropriate building to house the clinic. Members of WSPA's field staff oversaw the de- velopment of the clinic.

The facility is known as "PAATA" (Protetores Amigos Animals Tracao Associados- the Protectors, Friends of Traction Animals Association). The word "pata" in Portuguese means "the

foot of an animal," and that is the part of the horse the clinic will probably help the most.

The need for such a clinic was brought to the attention of WSPA by Arlette Meynard, one of their mem- bers, upon her return from Brazil. Meynard said "The horses carry exces- sive loads," and "are forced to draw overloaded wagons from dawn to dusk seven days a week." She went on to say, "these animals are underfed, riddled with internal parasites, and in many cases exhibit wounds and injuries that are the scars of abuse. Many of the horses were also lame."

Nell Trent, WSPA director of field services, traveled to Porto Alegre and confirmed Meynard's findings. Trent reported that each carriage operates with one horse and that currently there is no licensing or inspection program.

In addition, many drivers com- plained to WPSA staff that there were no watering facilities available for their horses, even though water pipes are in place across the market's carriage way.

The PAATA facility is located at

WSPA Field Officer, Marco Ciampi, waters horse at Brazilian clinic.

the busy Ceasa produce market, the largest of its kind in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which many of the horses travel to each day. The building that houses the facility is on the pre- mises of the Market itself. The front of the building has a vertical lifting steel door that opens to a 12-foot height. The market administrator, Luis Possebon gave WSPA the use of the facility un- der an open-ended lease agreement for a monthly rent that is essentially sym- bolic.

Veterinary services are free of charge. The facility also provides an educational service to the drivers in an effort to prevent further suffering to the horses and to improve the standard of animal welfare.

"The development of this clinic in Porto Alegre is of monumental signifi- cance," Trent said. He continued, "This project represents a tremendous com- mitment and cooperative effort from a broad cross-section of agencies and organizations," including the state gov- ernment, the municipality, the veteri- nary university and local animal pro- tection groups.

Marco Antonio Ciampi, WSPA field officer in Brazil said, "The PAATA facility is a natural extension for the students at the veterinary university to work hands-on with animals in need of care." He continued, "It is clear that the thousands of working horses who cur- rently lack even basic veterinary care will benefit tremendously."

This benefit extends not only from the provision of free veterinary treat- ment and preventive medication, but also from the educational component of the project which will improve the basic animal husbandry capabilities of the owners.

Ciampi stated that, "providing the working horse drivers with professional advice on how to best care for their animals will go a long way ...to ensure that the burden is eased for the horses of Porto Alegre."

"The success of this clinic will

448 JOURNAL OF EQUINE VETERINARY SCIENCE

undoubtedly open new doors in many other areas of animal protection throughout the country," said Ciampi, "and it will serve as a model for similar programs throughout South America."

Ciampi commended all of the people involved in making the clinic possible , part icularly Governor Collares, who was "extremely support- ive, and without whose assistance, this development would not have been achieved."

Now that the PAATA facility is operating, efforts will be made to find a vehicle suitable for transporting horses that are injured while on the roads around Porto Alegre. The World Soci- ety for the Protection of Animals is located at 29 Perkins Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02130. Phone: 617-522- 7000; fax 617-522-7077.

USDA REVIEWING FARM ANIMAL ISSUES

UNDER THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT

The Animal and Plant Health In- spection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture held the third in a series of public meetings on July 7 to gather information on the care and use of farm animals for nonagricultural activities regulated by the Animal Wel- fare Act (AWA).

The announced purpose of the meeting was to obtain comments from the general public, animal scientists and researchers, exhibitors, dealers, commercial animal transporters and animal protection groups about the ag- ricultural exemptions under the AWA, agricultural versus nonagricultural en- vironments, the well-being of farm ani- mals, and special considerations for major operative procedures.

Horses, except those used for re- search, are not subject to regulation under the AWA. The Act does not ap- ply to horse shows, horse racing, trail riding, parades, rodeos, public stables or similar equine activity. There is no authority in the Act to extend it to these activities. There was no specific suggstion that horses used in these ac- tivities be regulated under the AWA at the meeting. "Nonetheless, some may wish to try to do through regulation what Congress did not authorize through statute," said James J. Hickey, presi- dent of the American Horse Council. "We must guard against this."

PROGRESS MADE ON EXTRA-LABEL LEGISLATION

The veterinary community, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Congressional staff continue to re- fine their differences over the extra- label drug use bill regulating the ad- ministration of medications by veteri- narians (H.R. 1423 and S. 340).

Under present law, veterinarians are allowed to treat animals only with drugs approved for a specific species' disease. The FDA, however, permits veterinarians to use drugs known to be effective in fighting disease and reliev- ing pain, whether approved for use in the particular animals or not.

Known as the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act, the pro- posed legislation is important to the horse industry for several reasons:

• it will allow veterinarians to use a wide variety of medications to treat sick and injured horses;

• it will codify commonly accepted practices of the veterinary community;

• it will protect veterinarians from the possibility of legal action for their efforts to treat equine illness and in- jury.

The American Horse Council, in conjunction with the American Asso- ciation of Equine Practitioners and the

American Veterinary Medical Asso- ciation, is working to ensure that this legislation is passed by Congress.

QUARANTINE FEE PREPAYMENT ADOPTED

Despite AHC opposition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture adopted its proposal to require full prepayment of quarantine fees for importing horses, ruminants and swine.

Prior rules required importers to pay a fee of 25% of the estimated cost of the care, feed, and handling of ani- mals at the time quarantine space was reserved. The remaining costs were paid at the time the animal was released from quarantine.

The new rule means that importers will be required to make a full deposit to reserve quarantine space at least four weeks before the animal arrives at a quarantine facility. For those import- ing animals from countries requiring an extended quarantine, such as an Af- rican Horse Sickness country, the rule will require full payment at least three months in advance.

SMOKING IN THE WORKPLACE

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published a proposed rule regarding indoor air qual- ity in the workplace which would re- quire employers to ban smoking in the workplace or restrict smoking to sepa- rately-ventilated areas.

Covered employers are required to have a written Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) compliance program and must estab- lish designated smoking areas and per- mit smoking only in those areas. These areas must be enclosed and exhausted directly to the outside.

The proposal on the indoor air qual- ity compliance provisions covers all non-industrial work areas which in-

Volume 14, Number 8, 1994 449