What are the potential liability issues for breeders and registries?
Up to the present, detailed information on CSNB in the Appaloosa has not been available. Although veterinary literature refers to its presence in the Appaloosa (Witzel 1977), no one was aware of the extent of the problem, including how many horses are affected, and to what degree. This situation is about to change with the publication of the 2005-06 study by Sandmeyer et al. At that point in time, specific information about CSNB in the Appaloosa will enter the public domain. Though it will be some time before it is considered “general knowledge”, legally speaking, matters of liability affecting owners, breeders and registries will arise immediately upon publication of the study’s findings. Owners & Breeders: It may help to think of Appaloosa breeders as being like car manufacturers. Selling cars without functional headlights has legal implications. To sell a defective product without providing the buyer with adequate information would conceivably constitute a failure to disclose, in wh
