After several years in the works, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) is ready to launch. But, officials are seeking donations to help get operations going.
Over the past few years, representatives from the American Horse Council (AHC) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) have been working with state and federal health authorities to draft a National Equine Health Plan.
"While that plan is in its final stages, its cornerstone—the Equine Disease Communication Center—is ready to go," AHC president Jay Hickey said in a letter to industry stakeholders. "You have the opportunity to make it a reality and to ensure the industry is better prepared for future outbreaks."
The EDCC is designed to seek and report information about equine disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does with human diseases. Staff at the EDCC will work in cooperation with state animal health officials and the United States Department of Agriculture to gather disease outbreak information from various sources, including news media, social media, official state reports, and veterinary practitioners. Once the EDCC confirms a case or outbreak, it will disseminate the information and continue issuing updates on each disease outbreak's status until it is contained or deemed no longer a threat.