Why does the import of Lusitano stallions and mares from Portugal currently require a lengthy CEM Quarantine?

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is an STD found throughout much of Europe, however it is absent in Spain and Portugal.

When importing horses from most of Europe to the US, mares must go through a 2 week CEM quarantine period, and stallions must be quarantined for CEM testing for one month. The quarantine cost for mares is generally over $5000.00, and for stallions, the cost is over $9000.00. The protocol is not only expensive, but dangerous for the horses as the stallions are subjected to breeding to two live mares.

Spain is the exception to the requirement; PRE horses from Spain do not have to go through the CEM quarantine. The reason is that CEM does not exist there.

We need your help to fund the legal work necessary to change the regulation so that we can get this long overdue exception for importing Lusitano horses from Portugal. Please donate and help us reduce the cost of importing Lusitanos from Portugal!