New Brunswick horse virus scare highlights need for public large-animal care, vet says

A recent horse-virus warning in New Brunswick has revived concerns over how quickly rural owners can obtain veterinary care for large animals.

The province’s chief veterinary officer issued a health advisory Sunday after a potential exposure to Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 at a horse show in Sussex last month. Jordan Koivu, who owns Maritime Equine Veterinary Services, said some horse-show operators canceled events and the virus appeared to have been contained.

But Koivu said the episode also exposed a broader weakness in the province’s veterinary system. New Brunswick plans to privatize field veterinary services for large animals beginning March 31, 2027. The Liberal government has said public tax dollars should not subsidize hobby farms, non-commercial livestock operations or equine facilities.

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If the horse is sick and they need to have a veterinarian see it, it might take three or four days to get a veterinarian out to see the horse.

Koivu argued that horse owners need fast access to veterinarians, especially when an infectious disease could spread through a group of animals. She said some New Brunswick veterinarians have already left for jobs in other jurisdictions, leaving rural owners uncertain about future coverage.

“If the horse is sick and they need to have a veterinarian see it, it might take three or four days to get a veterinarian out to see the horse,” Koivu said. “And, by then, it could have already got eight other horses sick.”

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And, by then, it could have already got eight other horses sick.