Michigan Coggins Testing Rules Change.....again

The requirements for Coggins testing in Michigan has changed yet again. Earlier this year the prior requirement of annual calendar year testing for horses that are shown or sold expired. That left us without any legal requirement to test. However, shows and fairs still could still require a negative test. Last week the state legislature passed P.A.121 which reinstated the Coggins testing requirement, with a few changes.

A Coggins test is a blood test for a contagious viral disease that affects horses called Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). EIA is a disease for which there currently is no treatment or vaccine for. As such, infected horses only serve a source of infection to other horses. Testing is the only method of disease control that is available. The disease is a federally regulated disease which requires the test to be submitted and reported on a federally approved form.

Here is the short version of the new law:

1. The following requirments for a negative EIA test do not apply to foals 6 months old or younger.

2. A negative EIA test is now considered current if the blood sample was obtained within the prior 12 months.

2. All horses entered in shows, exhibitions or fairs must have a negative EIA test.

3. Any horse that changes ownership AND location within the State of Michigan must also have a negative EIA test.

4. Any horse entering, remaining or on the premise of any horse auction or market must have a negative EIA test within the previous 12 months.

5. All horses entering the State of Michigan must also be accompanied by a negative EIA test.

The most significant change from the old law is that there is no longer a calendar year requirement. The calendar year requirement was not without reason, but it was a logistical frustration for all of us. This is a welcome change to the law. The caveat to this, is that under the old law many people had their Coggins tests done in January so they would not have to worry about it the rest of the year. Under the new law, your Coggins test for next year will expire one year from when it was drawn. So those who had a Coggins done this past January will have to have next year's Coggins done in January again, if their circumstances meet the requirements of the new law. Click here if you care to know the details of what the requirements used to be.