Ottawa, ON—The Breeds & Industry Division of Equine Canada would like to inform all stakeholders that due to the reported finding of one horse infected with vesicular stomatitis (VS) in New Mexico, US, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to suspend the issuance or endorsement of export certificates for horses and other equines originating from the state of New Mexico. These restrictions will be enforced in combination with the current restriction imposed on horses from Texas, US, due to an outbreak of VS in that state as well.

The imposed restrictions on the import of equidae into Canada from New Mexico is effective immediately. The CFIA has confirmed that the import restriction only applies to live horse, donkey or mule imports and not to equine semen or equine embryo imports.

The USDA has also been asked to provide supplementary certification for horses and other equines from other states as follows: “During the previous twenty-one (21) days, the animal(s) in this shipment has/have not been in the State of New Mexico.”

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