A second free-of-cost clinic to provide Eastern Equine Encephalitis vaccinations for horses has been sponsored by New York Senator Patty Ritchie whose district covers several counties with a large Amish population. The clinic was held at an Amish farm in Heuvelton. The shots are funded by a special grant Ritchie obtained from the state, and in cooperation with two local veterinarians who helped publicize the event.
Amish farmer raking hay with horses
Veterinarians vaccinated nearly 190 horses for Eastern Equine Encephalitis during a free two day clinic in New York.
© 2012 by Joe Schneid
The demand for the vaccine against Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), the mosquito-borne disease that attacks the brain, was so high at the two-day state-funded clinic that veterinarians vaccinated nearly 40 horses on Thursday and were expected to treat another 150 horses on Friday.
Encephalitis can affect people and dogs as well as livestock. The disease has been blamed for the death last year of 4-year-old Maggie Sue Wilcox in the town of New Haven, near New York's border with Canada, along with 12 horses. The disease has also killed five other people in the St. Lawrence River area in the last four decades.
The Amish who are known for their religious teachings and maintaining a self-reliant culture,usually do not participate in any government related activities. However, some Amish communities believe it is within their religious teachings to protect horses, including with inoculation, since they are important to farmers' livelihoods.