NEWS

City of St. Louis

Department of Health

Francis G. Slay
Mayor
Pamela Rice Walker, MPA, CPHA
Interim Director of Health
Melba R. Moore, MS, CPHA
Commissioner of Health


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Stacie Zellin
July 15, 2014 (314) 657-1486
zellins@stlouis-mo.gov

Department of Health Carriage Horse Stable Assessment Reports, Summary, and
Recommendations

The welfare of carriage horses in St. Louis is being immediately protected by the decisive and
informed actions taken this week by the St. Louis City Health Director and her staff. Pursuant to
the St. Louis City Charter and the City of St. Louis Revised Code, the Health Department has the
authority to regulate animal housing and to protect the welfare of all animals in the city. This
includes the authority to set minimum standards for housing, to ensure that no unfit animal is
allowed to work, and to ensure that animals are not overloaded or overworked.

On Sunday, July 13, 2014 the City of St. Louis Public Health Veterinarian, Dr. Sarah Frei,
DVM, completed a carriage horse assessment report. The report identifies numerous conditions
and findings that must be addressed. The full report which includes her summary findings and
recommendations is attached. The carriage companies will be formally notified, in writing, of
mandatory corrective actions and timeframes that they must implement specific to the well-being
of their animals.

The Department is also requiring that, effective immediately, all horses not be worked when the
maximum heat index reaches 100 degrees on any single day.

In reference to Moose the horse that brought these conditions to light, the City Health Director,
Pamela Rice Walker, is requiring that Brookdale Farms provide her with Mooses full medical
history and that he undergo a complete respiratory diagnostic work-up and is found to be healthy
and unremarkable prior to his return to the city for use as a carriage horse. He must have
Bronchoalveolar Lavage performed to rule-in or rule-out Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD)
and quantify the severity of the condition, if present, as a variety of management techniques and
therapies may be indicated at that time. This work-up must be performed in collaboration with
the City of St. Louis Public Health Veterinarian.

Attachments:

Carriage Horse Stable Assessment Reports, Summary, and Recommendations.
Health Director letter to Brookdale Farms
Health Director letter to St. Louis Carriage Company