Tweet
"Officials baffled over local horses’ deaths
July 9, 2013
Several horses owned by Amish residents of Conewango Valley in western Cattaraugus County are mysteriously dying.
Eric Wohlers, director of the Cattaraugus County Health Department’s Environmental Unit, said officials from the state Department of Agriculture and markets “are completely baffled” over the Amish horse deaths that appear to involve unspecified neurological problems.
“They submitted samples for testing, but all the tests have come back negative,” Mr. Wohlers told members of the Board of Health meeting last week in Allegany. “Reports of new (horse) illnesses seem to be low.”
Mr. Wohlers speculated “the Amish lifestyle revolves around horses for transportation. (Horses) are always in contact with each other.”
Mr. Wohlers said the Amish horse illness and deaths appear to be centered in the Conewango Valley area. He did not say how many horses in the Amish community had become ill with the neurological problem, or how many died.
Contracted Monday, Joe Morrissey, public information director for the Department of Agriculture and Markets, said, “Our field staff became aware of rumors of this issue a couple of months ago. Accordingly, animals that appeared to match the description of this illness were sampled for diseases of greatest concern to our department. Testing, to date, has not revealed rabies or equine herpes virus 1. The Department of Agriculture and Markets continues to monitor the situation.”...
xhttp://www.oleantimesherald.com/news/article_14807536-ea46-11e2-8149-001a4bcf887a.html?mode3Dprint
July 9, 2013
Several horses owned by Amish residents of Conewango Valley in western Cattaraugus County are mysteriously dying.
Eric Wohlers, director of the Cattaraugus County Health Department’s Environmental Unit, said officials from the state Department of Agriculture and markets “are completely baffled” over the Amish horse deaths that appear to involve unspecified neurological problems.
“They submitted samples for testing, but all the tests have come back negative,” Mr. Wohlers told members of the Board of Health meeting last week in Allegany. “Reports of new (horse) illnesses seem to be low.”
Mr. Wohlers speculated “the Amish lifestyle revolves around horses for transportation. (Horses) are always in contact with each other.”
Mr. Wohlers said the Amish horse illness and deaths appear to be centered in the Conewango Valley area. He did not say how many horses in the Amish community had become ill with the neurological problem, or how many died.
Contracted Monday, Joe Morrissey, public information director for the Department of Agriculture and Markets, said, “Our field staff became aware of rumors of this issue a couple of months ago. Accordingly, animals that appeared to match the description of this illness were sampled for diseases of greatest concern to our department. Testing, to date, has not revealed rabies or equine herpes virus 1. The Department of Agriculture and Markets continues to monitor the situation.”...
xhttp://www.oleantimesherald.com/news/article_14807536-ea46-11e2-8149-001a4bcf887a.html?mode3Dprint
Comment