Horse flu crisis in Australia - am I the only one actually caring about how the horses are doing?

Question

A question mostly for fellow australians but anybody's input is very welcome. So we've had that horse flu outbreak in Australia for 3-4 months but all I hear on the news is the money breeders are loosing, threat to the Melbourne cup (God forbid!!!!) and the government helping the jockeys etc. I have not once (and I mean it) heard how the horses where actually doing. This is disgusting. After all, this is an industry dedicated to making a living out of using (and in certain case abusing) horses. they make billions of dollars a year so I don't see why the australian government should pay them subsidies out of my taxes. It should be the TAB or the multi-millionairs breeders. When I was sick and could not work for a while I got absolutely nothing from Centrelink because my husband was earning "too much" ie 500 AUD a week (a real fortune yes!!!!). Can we please refocus on the real issue. I know the flu does not kill them but am I the only one who gives a s*&t about them in this country?

Just for the non australians here, the flu has started in the winter (our winter July/august). I've checked on internet and it;s not a life threatening condition for the horses and they just feel miserable, have a cough etc. It's just that it's highly contagious and the horses have to be quarantined and cannot race.

Answer 1

As you have already said equine flu is not fatal, except in rare cases (the very young, the very old, those with existing breathing problems, etc).

Lets face facts for a moment, it is not just the breeders that are being subsidised (and very few breeders are "multi-millionaires". The money is also being used to help pay the wages of people normally associated with the racing industry - horse transport firms, vets, blacksmiths, as well as the people that work on the studs. None of these people are wealthy - I've worked on studs, I know how much I was getting paid!

The main problem is that this outbreak is partially self-inflicted as there is no policy in Australia to vaccinate against the 'flu. In every other major racing country horses are vaccinated, so any outbreak can be contained with relative ease. Flu has a 100% infection rate in non-vaccinated horses, so while you ring-fence the outbreak areas with vaccinated horses, you are gonna have to wait for the 'flu to work its way through the rest of the horse population.

To keep updated on the progress of the 'flu keep an eye on this wesbite:
http://www.outbreak.gov.au/pests_diseases/pests_diseases_animals/equine_influenza/index.htm

Answer 2

I totally agree with you regarding the government subsidy, our taxes go to helping enough people who do not warrant it. But I am sure that those people with horses that are sick and quarantined, care enough about them to give them the best care they possibly can, after all that is their livelihood. I am afraid unless you have an endless supply of money (which I know you don't and neither do I) there is nothing that we can do for them, but just hope that they all come out of it okay.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Hi! I am an American and I hadn't heard about this.I always care when I hear about animals being sick or hurt.