Abstract

The Koi Health Advisor (KHA) program of the Associated Koi Clubs of America (AKCA) is well into its third year of operation. The program has trained approximately 150 students in the first two years, and currently has 88 students enrolled in the 2003-2004 class. The students, who are koi hobbyists and members of an affiliated AKCA club, learn koi husbandry, disease prevention, and emergency care for pet koi. Since the first class, there have been additional koi health educational seminars for hobbyists, a significant reduction of Japanese style koi shows in the United States and an increase in disease prevention measures in koi shows as a direct result of the education disseminated through this program. Evaluation of current activities of KHA's, plans for future educational seminars for koi hobbyists, research opportunities funded by AKCA, and expansion of the veterinary referral list (hobbyist-veterinary connections) are ongoing.