17/11/2020

Autopsy entrusted to the University of Pisa. The Association asks for clarity and speed in the answers.

This morning Ola, a 26-year-old mare, died suddenly at the IHP Rescue Centre in Tignano (Volterra). The distressing event follows that of the deaths of as many as 17 animals that have occurred since the 31st December 2018 to today and still remain without a reliable scientific explanation. The videos (links below) recorded by the surveillance cameras - installed by IHP following the first deaths, for which to date malicious hypothesis has not been ruled out - show the sequence:

08:49:01 - the mare is standing grazing

08:49:26 - the mare is on the ground in a sternal position

08:49:58 - the mare stands and staggers for 10 seconds (still on her 4 legs) and goes down   like a sack

08:51:27 - the mare finds herself gasping on the ground

08:55:00 - the mare is lifeless.

IHP has informed the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Pisa and the North-West Tuscany Local Health Authority. The autopsy will be carried out by the University of Pisa.

Another horse, Sugar, 25 years old, died at the Rescue Centre last October 18th: also in this case a sudden death, the causes of which have not been officially disclosed. An autopsy was conducted in collaboration between the University of Pisa and the IZS.

"We have no evidence of any links between these last two deaths but we cannot exclude that there may be some.” - says the President of IHP, Sonny Richichi - To date we have not yet received the autopsy report carried out on the horse that died last October 18th. As then, we have also today informed the authorities of the sudden death. We ask for speed in the answers, because including the one of today we are aware of 18 sudden deaths with no explanation. Without clarity on the cause of the deaths, it remains impossible to understand what has been happening for two years now”.

Here are the links to the videos of the surveillance cameras of the Centre

https://youtu.be/NdfBwY_tpkE

https://youtu.be/4rMHMw8T4Ac

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