The American Horse Council has learned that recent reports saying horses are not permitted entry into the U.S. from the European Union are erroneous. Some of the misunderstanding results from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) press release from March 13, 2001, which said that “all animals and animal products are temporarily prohibited entry from the European Union”.

“This is not true. At this time, what the USDA has done is place a ban on the importation of all ruminants (cud-chewing animals such as cattle) and swine and all products from those animals”, stated Dr. Karen James, Director of the USDA Veterinary Services National Center for Import and Export, in answer to AHC inquiries into the reports. “This ban augments those restrictions already in place as a result of BSE in Europe. Horses are not included in the list of prohibited animals and may be imported from Europe at this time.”

Rumors abound about an imminent ban on equine imports and USDA is under great pressure to prohibit the importation of horses even though there are measures in place to guard against introducing the virus. Australia banned the importation of horses from England and Ireland as of March 13. Canada has also stopped the import of horses from England.

The outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in England and France has caused significant concern in the U.S. Heightened measures have been put in place to prevent the introduction of this highly contagious and economically devastating disease. These concerns have spilled over into the horse industry as calls for even stricter import standards threaten to include horses