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Horse Vaccination In New York State State Racing Commission Directs Owners, Trainers Against Sleeping Sickness NEW YORK, N. Y.. May 14.— The New York State Racing Commission today directed owners and trainers who expect to campaign then- horses at the New York tracks this season to have their stock vaccinated against equine encephalomyelitis, generally known as sleeping sickness, by July 1, or immediately upon their arrival if they come to New York after that date. "After July 1, 1957," says the commissions official directive, "no stall shall be given to any horse unless the required veterinarians certificate of its vaccination has been presented to the horse identification department and duly noted." The commissions official release points out that this "devastating disease" is largely confined to the Northeastern states and affects humans as well as horses. It adds, "It is believed that the disease is spread by mosquitoes and the vaccination required must be fully completed before the mosquitoes have been hatched/ The commission says that several times "during recent years there have been incidences of sleeping sickness in the New England states which have been sufficiently widespread to require the state racing commission to ask the Department of Agriculture and Markets of the State of New York, through its Division of Animal Husbandry under Dr. D. L. Haley, director, to impose an embargo against race horses" from that area. Unsatisfactory in New England It concludes by saying that this "has naturally proven unsatisfactory both in New England and New York, and it is hoped that, by the requirement for vaccination, the disease may not only be kept out of New York, but a long step taken for its eventual eradication." The New York State Racing Commissions directive, issued over the signature of Ashley T. Cole, follows: To Owners and Trainers: The commission has teen advised by the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture and Markets of the State of New York that, at a meeting of the livestock sanitary officials of New York and the New England states recently held in Boston, it was agreed that they strongly urge that all horses be vaccinated as soon as possible with a series of two injections of bivalent vaccine Eastern and Western strains against an outbreak of equine encephalomyelitis in the Northeast. Accordingly, the State Racing Commission of New York hereby directs all owners and trainers of horses on this date stabled in New York and of horses which they expect to bring into New York during the current racing season, which will terminate on or about November 30, to have such horses duly vaccinated by their veterinarians and to obtain the certificates of such veterinarians that such horses have been so treated. Certificates of vaccination shall provide evidence of both injections completed at least twenty-one 21 days before the deadline dates stated in the following paragraph. Such certificates shall be presented to the Horse Identification Department at the track currently holding a meeting: A As to horses stabled at any of our tracks on May 15, 1957. by July 1, 1957; B As to horses arriving at any of our tracks hereafter and on or before July 1. 1957. by July 1, 1957; C As to horses arriving at any of our tracks after July 1, 1957. immediately upon arrival. After July 1, 1957. no stall shall be given to any horse unless the required veterinarians certificate of its vaccination has been presented to the Horse Identification Department and duly noted. In specifying the above procedure to be followed by you, the State Racing Commission, The Jockey Club and the Greater New York Association Inc.. all concur.
