On Wednesday, June 26, the Ontario Racing Commission released a Notice to the Industry on behalf of Dr. Adam Chambers stating that all restrictions that had been placed on Barn 1 at Woodbine Racetrack as a result of the EHV-1 situation have been lifted.

The contents of the ORC notice appear below.

EHV-1 Update: Restrictions on Woodbine Barn 1 lifted. All Horses allowed to exit

ORC Manager of Veterinary Services Dr. Adam Chambers announced that all restrictions placed on horses stabled in Woodbine’s Barn 1 are now removed, effective June 26, 2013. The restrictions on Barn 3 horses were lifted on June 19.

The last time a horse in Barn 1 tested positive was June 12, 2013. Twice daily temperature of all horses stabled at Woodbine must still be recorded and be available for inspection. Until further notice, horses with fevers of unknown origin are to be reported and isolated until two negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been returned.

The infectious and serious nature of this disease prompted these measures and reinforced the need to protect Ontario’s equine athletes. As a standard practice, participants are reminded of the importance of establishing appropriate biosecurity measures.

Racetrack management need to maintain aggressive disinfectant programs in ship-in barn areas. Further, trainers and their staff should adopt strict procedures and separate equipment for each horse to minimize the likelihood of spreading infectious disease.

The Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) would like to recognize the cooperation of members of the racing community during this difficult period. In particular we thank all veterinarians, horse people, ORC staff and racetrack officials for their efforts and contribution.