Officials announce ponies infected with swamp cancer will be euthanized

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. – After months of fighting, the final four ponies that have been battling Swamp Cancer will have to be put down.

The announcement coming from Pony Committee Member Denise Bowden on the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s Facebook page.

The post read in part, “After much consultation and much professional vet medical opinions, a decision was made to humanely euthanize the last four remaining ponies fighting this awful, awful fungus… They just couldn’t fight this off and before we let them suffer any more than they have been, we feel the right decision was made.”

It’s sad news for those who have followed the health of these ponies.

Swamp Cancer was found in seven ponies in October and vets have been on call to help since.

Treatment has included surgeries and medication.

If there’s any positive news from this situation, it’s that Dr. Hansen, who has been in consultation to help with the ponies, has been working to create a preventive vaccine for this fungus and is now awaiting FDA approval.

They hope they can soon vaccinate the rest of their ponies.

Bowden added Fish and Wildlife Service is taking a hard look at this fungus and will hopefully be doing everything they can to eradicate it from the refuge.