The Death Sentence

[my miss storm cat]

I don't have the answers, Thebby... was hoping someone could shed some light.

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Virtual FormGuide

Racehorse Put Down Post-Hendra Virus
(no author listed)

A racehorse who survived the deadly Hendra virus has been put down because he posed a biosecurity risk.

Three-year-old colt Tamworth recovered from the virus that claimed the lives of four other horses at Redlands Veterinary Clinic on Brisbane's bayside.

But a Queensland Department of Primary Industries spokesman confirmed the horse had been given a lethal injection at 10.15am (AEST).

Experts from the Australian Animal Health laboratory in Geelong are now conducting a detailed post-mortem examination.

Biosecurity Queensland chief veterinary officer Ron Glanville said there was no other option.

"This is one of the world's deadliest viruses ... we know the percentage of recovered animals continue to carry the virus but we don't know what proportion that is," Dr Glanville told ABC radio.

"But we certainly know that it happens and there has been reappearances of the virus in that animal and that is a real risk.

"It was a tough decision ... but largely based on the opinion from the medical profession ... the risk to humans outweigh keeping the animal alive in the long term."

Dr Glanville said a range of tissues would be sampled under "very strict biosecurity restrictions".

Tamworth was put down against the wishes of his part-owner Warren Small, who was not convinced his horse was a threat.

"The last two generations of his family were 100 per cent runners to winners," Small told the ABC.

"It's impossible to say the horse was going to be winning races - it was debatable in what class of race he was going to win, but I did get offered after the races last start $195,000 to buy him."