Equine Guelph has been approved for up to $81,423 in funding under Growing Forward 2 (GF2) to develop and launch the first biosecurity awareness and training campaign, specific to the Ontario horse racing industry. The multi-level campaign, BIOSECURITY – Spread the word not the germs, will improve the ability and capacity of key stakeholders to prevent infectious disease transmission within the three Ontario horse racing disciplines: Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse.
First, Equine Guelph will conduct a market research study to assess the knowledge level and attitudes towards biosecurity within the industry. Armed with this information, training mechanisms and materials will then be developed and widely distributed to Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) officials, track and facility managers and grassroots caregivers (owners, trainers, grooms). The dissemination portion of this project is significant and various traditional and innovative tactics will be used to share training and information materials amongst the industry. Some of these methods include: articles, media releases, newsletters, website pages, online courses, seminars, notices, advertisements, videos, flash drives with loaded materials, etc.
The implementation of this project will ensure biosecurity assurance systems are in place to prevent and reduce risks, resulting in enhanced animal welfare for Ontario racehorses.
This project is funded in part through GF2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario
Source: AAC