The EIA isn’t an infectious, contagious disease, because it isn’t directly transmitted from a sick horse to another healthy one, but needs the intervention of a carrier insect (horse-flies) or of the man, who can spread the virus by using needles and syringes contaminated with the virus or infected blood derivates. Even if sometime the infection develops in a true disease, most of the horses found positive to the virus (90%) stay healthy for their entire life.

The Italian and International legislations indicate the AGID Test (better known as Coggin’s Test) as the reference test to ascertain the positivity to EIA. Recognized by the OIE (Office International des Epizooties, sort of WHO for the animals) and other international organizations, this test can evidence the presence of the antibodies produced against the virus, and thus reveal if the animal has been in contact with it.

Basing on what reported by the National Centre of Reference for EIA, the first blood sample taken from Rocket on 11/06/2010, was negative to the AGID (Coggins) test, and positive to the ELISA test (which produces many false positives).

The second blood sample, taken on 12/07/2010, was once again negative to the AGID (Coggins) test, dubious to the ELISA test and positive to the Immunoblotting (a test not indicated by OIE for the diagnosis of the EIA, and whose reliability is strongly disputed by the scientists because of its scarce specificity).

It looked so simple: the mistaken interpretation of a rule with subsequent use of an unauthorized, unsuitable test. It looked so easy to remedy to it and remove the sequestration order.

However, the competent local health authority (ASL) has refused this possibility, requested twice by Rocket’s two owners, and directed to the Health Minister. The ASL claimed the validity of their work, probably because of the inevitable tension caused by the whole matter.

With the financial support of Italian Horse Protection association-IHP, the Comune di Poli (Rome), the ASL of Tivoli (Rome), the Istituto Zooprofilattico of Rome and the National Centre of Reference for EIA of Pisa have been sued in front of the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale del Lazio (Lazio Region Administrative Tribunal) . We hoped the TAR would order the release of the mare, who, in our opinion, has been wrongly put in isolation.

Only the ASL of Tivoli appeared in front of the judge, with a defensive note that, of course, didn’t deal with the legitimacy, or lack of, the tests used.

The judge, even in the presence of all the necessary documentation to emit a sentence (the legislation explicitly states the the Coggins’ Test must be used, while the Immunoblotting isn’t even listed), has asked for the assistance of a CTU (a legal, technical consultant).

This meant facing a years-long trial, with expenses neither IHP or Rocket’s two owners can afford, and thus it favored the ASL, which wouldn’t have any problem in dragging the trial for years, since they can count on almost endless funds—which, BTW, come from the taxes we pay. Since the owners refused the CTU, the judge rejected the instance, although without expressing any judgment on the matter.

Thus Rocket stays under sequestration, in isolation, even if she is negative to EIA. In the meantime, her two owners and IHP are looking for any kind of help to oblige the competent ASL to finally accept the facts: the only valid test gave negative results.

On 24th November 2010, the Direttore Regionale della Regione Lazio (General Director of Lazio Region), clearly stated that the possible positivity to the ELISA test must be confirmed by the Coggin’s Test. Thus everything would seem clear: the mare is negative, since the Coggins’ Test was negative both times. Yet, the mare stays under an unmotivated sanitary sequestration.

Rocket’s tale has come out because her owners turned to IHP asking for assistance, but we cannot help but wonder how many horses have been illegitimately declared positive to the EIA and thus put under sequestration following discretional procedures just like this time? To how many owners it has been suggested (as it is rumored the ASL’s have been doing) to put down an healthy but positive to EIA equine (or maybe even a negative one, as in this case), even if it is forbidden by the law (a horse positive to the Coggins is anyway an healthy horse and therefore can’t be simply killed)?

Rocket’s owners and IHP ask for the intervention of On. Francesca Martini, the Heath Minister’s Under-Secretary, well known for her work in favor of animal’s rights, so that she will reaffirm the rightful state of law, which states the rules that must be applied are those sanctioned by the Italian Republic and not fantasy rules written nowhere. Rules not written and not legal, based only on funds put forward by contributors with other aims than the humiliation of someone who cannot defend themselves only because they are an equine.

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