The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has released guidance concerning the coronavirus pandemic, stating that pre-purchase settings, breeding services, and castration may continue during the national lockdown to support horse welfare.
Horse & Hound report that BEVA has said that these are ‘not normal times’, and it is not ‘business as usual’, but routine veterinary services cannot be provided if vets are not allowed to travel. Therefore, the association has said that vets should continue to be able to travel to their usual workplace or keepers’ premises.
“Many equine veterinary services can take place outside, and non-emergency veterinary activities can, with appropriate facilities, be performed in a COVID-safe fashion (following a risk assessment and appropriate mitigations to minimise the risk),” states the guidance.
BEVA said that equine vets are bound to provide their services to support both horse welfare and the £8.5 billion UK horse industry. To comply with government regulations, risk assessments need to be conducted to ensure a COVID-safe environment.
Even though services provided by vets may not be considered essential, for example, instances where there is no immediate suffering by the animal, many aspects of the horse industry have been allowed to continue, such as race meetings, sales, and breeding, which do require the presence of an equine vet.
The guidance noted that breeding is a significant part of the industry and has not been required to close during the lockdown, and preventing veterinary involvement could compromise either horse welfare or the horse breeding sector, as well castration, which is necessary to protect both horses and humans, as well as minimising unwanted pregnancies.
BEVA noted that horse sales are an important part of the industry which are also allowed to continue under Government guidance. Pre-purchase examinations are a vital part of the sales process, which again would compromise animal welfare.
“BEVA is of the opinion that any guidance which arbitrarily blocks essential veterinary activities in support of the horse industry would compromise equine welfare and go against Government guidance on supporting sectors,” concluded the guidance.
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