Petition Make Strangles infections notifiable to DEFRA

Strangles, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi, is a highly contagious infection in horses. This infection can be transmitted for weeks prior to symptoms showing, and this combined with being highly contagious makes it dangerous for any yard. It can not only cause suffering to the horses affected, and is potentially fatal, but it can also devastate the local equine economy.

Incidence of this disease could be dramatically reduced affected premises were legally required to notify cases to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A vaccine is not currently routine, and by simply encouraging correct management we believe that risk of transmission can be negated considerably.