Conditions May 08

QUARANTINE CONDITIONS FOR THE RETURN OF HORSES FROM HONG KONG AFTER COMPETITION IN THE 2008 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC EVENTS

Administrative Conditions

Importation under these conditions is restricted to horses that have been imported directly into Hong Kong from Australia to compete in the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic events, have remained in Hong Kong since importation, and are being returned to Australia not more than 60 days after export to Hong Kong.

Permission to import must be obtained in writing from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) prior to the export of horses to Hong Kong. A full description of each horse (including tattoos, microchips, brands, silhouettes) must be provided with the permit application.

Each horse must have entered Hong Kong by fulfilling Hong Kong’s import conditions in accordance with the ‘Horse information document for the importation of 2008 Olympic/Paralympic Games Equestrian Event Horse into Hong Kong from Australia’.
Whilst in Hong Kong the horses must be held in isolation from horses not of equivalent health status in officially approved premises except during officially supervised training and competition, as detailed in the veterinary certification section of these conditions.
Other administrative conditions, including details of import permit requirements and transport arrangements, are available from AQIS.

Contact details are:

AQIS Live Animal Imports
GPO Box 858
Canberra  ACT  2601
Phone: +61 2 6272 4454
Fax: +61 2 6272 3110
E-mail: animal imports

The full requirements can also be viewed on AQIS’ Import Conditions database (ICON) at the AQIS website

Note that these quarantine measures will be reviewed and adjusted where necessary as a consequence of the impending recommendations from, and the government’s response to, the Commission of Inquiry into Equine Influenza.

Documentation

Each horse will travel with:

1. A current international passport in accord with the Model Passport for International Movement of Competition Horses recommended in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code (the Code), Appendix 4.1.5., or a similar official document issued by an internationally recognised horse organisation, and

2. An original international veterinary certificate in accord with the Code Appendix 4.1.4 signed by an Official Veterinarian* of the country of export.

^{* Note: Official Veterinarian means a veterinarian authorised by the Veterinary Administration of the country to perform certain designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the Certification Procedures of Section 1.2. of the Code.}

Format of the veterinary certificate

1. The veterinary certificate must:

• be written in English, and a language understood by the Official Veterinarian of the country of export
• certify the requirements of the veterinary certification section of these conditions 
• provide complete identification for each animal (passport details, microchip number/site or brand or silhouette) including description, species, sex and age 
• include the name and address of the importer and exporter and the AQIS Import Permit number.

2. The certifying Official Veterinarian must:

• provide a separate veterinary certificate for each horse
• sign, date and stamp each page of the veterinary certificate and all documents that form part of the extended health certification with the stamp of the government veterinary administration
• record his/her name, signature and contact details on the veterinary certificate.

3. AQIS will only accept copies of supporting documents where each page bears the original signature, date and stamp of the Official Veterinarian.

Pre-export quarantine requirements

Except as specifically authorised by AQIS, the premises for the 14 day pre-export quarantine (PEQ) period must be located within the Hong Kong Jockey Club facilities, managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Facilities

1. The premises must be surrounded by a secure perimeter fence, preventing contact with any horse not of equivalent quarantine status. Stable accommodation must provide insect screened isolation and impervious barriers from areas used by other horses. Windows and doors must be made of impervious material. Air conditioned ventilation must be provided for periods of lock down while other horses not of equivalent quarantine status use adjacent exercise facilities.

2. Stables on the premises must be constructed so that they can be readily cleaned and disinfected.

3. The premises must be situated no less than 100 metres from accommodation used for horses not undergoing PEQ.

4. Stables, yards, fences, and feeding and watering arrangements must be constructed so that the horses are protected from injury, and other welfare needs are met.

5. For the duration of PEQ, other equines should not be exercised within 20 metres of horses on the premises.

6. The premises shall have an area for cleaning and disinfection of vehicles well separated from stables, holding pens and the loading area, and the premises must have facilities for the safe unloading and loading of horses.

7. The premises shall have facilities for veterinary examination and the collection of samples, and facilities for segregation and isolation of sick or suspect horses.

Operation

1. The premises must be approved by an Official Veterinarian prior to the commencement of quarantine/isolation.

2. All operations and procedures are documented and consistent with a HACCP approach. AQIS may audit approved PEQ premises.

 ^{Note: HACCP is the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points.}

3. Stables must be cleaned and disinfected, with exercise and holding yards cleaned to the satisfaction of the Official Veterinarian, prior to the commencement of quarantine/isolation.

4. The premises must be supervised by the Official Veterinarian.

5. The PEQ period will start from the time of entry of the last horse.

6. Horses must not leave the premises except for training under official veterinary supervision. At all times when outside the premises, the veterinarian must ensure that horses are separated by at least 50 metres from horses not of equivalent quarantine status. While adjacent facilities are used by other horses not of equivalent quarantine status, horses in PEQ must remain inside the facility, with PEQ entrances, exits and windows closed.

7. During quarantine/isolation, the premises must not be occupied by horses other than those of this consignment unless otherwise agreed by AQIS. All horses in PEQ must be of equivalent quarantine status.

8. During PEQ each horse of the consignment must have rectal temperatures measured and recorded twice daily and such records are to be made available to AQIS on request.

9. The Official Veterinarian must provide certification, in the form of a checklist, that health certificates and health records including measurement of rectal temperatures have been inspected. If rectal temperatures were unable to be obtained from a horse this is to be noted on the checklist.

10. All equipment used in feeding, handling and treating the horses in quarantine must be new or cleaned, disinfected before use, and must be used only in the premises for the duration of quarantine/isolation.

11. Personnel attending the horses must wear outer clothing and footwear used exclusively in the premises, and wash their hands, before handling the animals.

12. Any health problems affecting animals on the premises during the quarantine/isolation period must be reported within 48 hours to the Official Veterinarian. AQIS must be notified if the incident is of quarantine concern.

13. A detailed health record must be kept for each horse in quarantine. The health record must be available to the Official Veterinarian.

14. Entry to the premises must be prevented unless specifically authorised by the Official Veterinarian. Details of all visitor entries must be recorded.

15. Vehicles and containers for transport of horses from the premises to the port of export must be cleaned and disinfected to the satisfaction of the Official Veterinarian prior to loading.

Veterinary certification by the Official Veterinarian

1. In Hong Kong, during the 12 months prior to the date of this certification:

• no case of African horse sickness, dourine, surra (Trypanosoma evansi), glanders, Venezuelan, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis (VEE, EEE, WEE), epizootic lymphangitis, horse pox, or vesicular stomatitis has occurred
• no case of rabies or Borna disease has been reported in horses.
• The horse was vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis using an approved inactivated vaccine according to the manufacturer’s recommendations not less than 14 days prior to the date of export to Hong Kong, and not more than 12 months prior to the date of return to Australia.
• Equine influenza has not been reported in Hong Kong during the three months prior to the date of this certification.
• The horse was vaccinated against equine influenza not less than 14 days prior to the date of export to Hong Kong, and not more than four months prior to the date of return to Australia:
• as a certified primary course comprising at least two doses in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations or
• as a booster within six months of the primary course or previous booster vaccination, where it, and any prior vaccinations have been administered at least annually since the primary course.

5. Since being imported from Australia, the horse has been continuously resident under official supervision in approved insect screened isolation premises at least 100 metres from any horse not having current certified equine influenza vaccination status. During this time, no horses other than horses of equivalent health status were held at the premises.

6. While in Hong Kong the horse has:

• remained free from evidence of infectious or contagious disease 
• not been in contact with horses not of the same health status other than at the time of Olympic/Paralympic competition
• had no direct contact during international events with horses which were suffering from clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease.

7. The horse has been continuously held in pre-export quarantine (PEQ) in approved premises (see PEQ requirements, Facilities, page 2) after the last international event for at least 14 days immediately prior to export other than while:

• being transported to and from training venues
• training under official supervision
• being transported to the port of export

While in PEQ, the horse had no contact with any horse except  horses of the same consignment.

8. An agent detection test for influenza A, either a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or an antigen enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was conducted with negative results on each of two nasopharyngeal swabs taken from the horse 7 to 10 days apart during PEQ, the second being taken within 4 days of departure.

9. The horse is being exported to Australia not more than 60 days since being exported from Australia.
 
10. The horse was examined by an Official Veterinarian within 24 hours prior to leaving the PEQ premises for the port of export and was found to be:

• free from evidence of infectious or contagious disease
• visibly free of external parasites
• fit to travel.

11. The container for the transport of the horse to the port of export was cleaned and disinfected with a prescribed disinfectant to the satisfaction of the Official Veterinarian prior to loading the horses.

12. During transport to the port of export the horse had no contact with equines not of equivalent quarantine status.

13. The compartment of the aircraft or vessel to be occupied by the horse and all removable equipment, penning and containers including loading ramps were satisfactorily cleaned and disinfected prior to loading.

14. At the time of loading the horse was healthy and fit to travel.

Transport

1. The horse must be consigned to Australia by a route approved by AQIS. It may be accompanied by other animals only with the approval of AQIS. Any transhipment requires the approval of AQIS. Stops on route will need approval from relevant authorities in the countries of transit and transhipment.

2. An Australian or New Zealand quarantine veterinarian may be required to accompany the shipment to Australia at the importer's expense.  AQIS must receive adequate notice of the intention to import so that arrangements can be made.

3. The use of hay or straw as bedding during transport is not permitted; treated wood shavings, sterilised peat and soft board may be used.

4. The design of the containers, the recommended species requirements, the preparation for transport, and the disinfection of the interior of the aircraft, removable equipment, penning and containers must be in accordance with the recommendations of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations unless otherwise agreed by AQIS.

Post-arrival quarantine requirements for the re-importation of horses from Hong Kong

1. On return to Australia, the horse will be required to undergo post-arrival quarantine (PAQ) at a Government Animal Quarantine Station or a Quarantine Approved Premises for 14 days.

^{Note: Horses originating from multiple PEQ premises and countries and/or continents may require PAQ periods to be extended to 21 days.}

AQIS standards for approved PAQ premises are at Appendix 1.

2. During PAQ each horse in the consignment must: 

• be identified on arrival and accompanying health certification and passport examined and checked
• undergo examination including measurement of rectal temperature, on arrival and again within 4 hours and twice daily thereafter during PAQ. If at any time the rectal temperature is 38.5 °C or higher, a nasopharyngeal swab is to be taken for a PCR test for influenza A virus (or equine influenza virus) and the AQIS veterinarian notified.
• have a blood sample collected for reference serum and despatched for storage within 24 hours of arrival
• be thoroughly and systematically examined for the presence of ticks. Detection of ticks will result in further testing and/or treatment in PAQ.

3. A PCR for influenza A virus (or equine influenza virus) with negative results for each horse must be conducted on nasopharyngeal swabs taken within 24 hours of arrival into PAQ and 5 days after the last horse arrives in PAQ.

4. If any horse shows signs of disease, it may be subjected to testing or treatment prescribed by AQIS. If any horse does not meet these conditions or exotic disease is diagnosed, the horse, and any or all other horses in the PAQ premises may be:

• detained in quarantine for further testing and observation
• exported at the importer’s expense or
• destroyed without recompense.

APPENDIX 1 - AQIS STANDARDS FOR POST-ARRIVAL QUARANTINE PREMISES FOR HORSES FOR EXPORT TO AUSTRALIA

1 ENTRY AND POST-ARRIVAL QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS

1.1 The process from the time horses arrive at the airport to the completion of post-arrival quarantine (PAQ) must be auditable.

1.2 Vehicles transporting imported horses from the port of arrival in Australia to the PAQ premises have been cleaned and disinfected prior to loading the horses. Appropriate biosecurity procedures must be implemented for transport vehicles, freight containers, equipment and associated personnel, including transport operators, before, during and after the transport of horses to the PAQ premises.

1.3 Vehicles transporting imported horses are not permitted to leave the PAQ premises until thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and the health checks of the imported horses have been completed.

1.4 Each imported horse must be identified upon arrival in Australia and the accompanying health certification/passport must be examined and checked.

2  LOCATION OF PAQ FACILITIES

2.1 The premises must be located in an area that has been free from equine infectious anaemia for 12 months.

2.2 For the duration of PAQ, other equidae should not be depastured, held or exercised within 100 metres of horses on the premises.

2.3 The premises should be close to the port of arrival and be conveniently located for supervision by an AQIS Veterinarian.

3 FACILITIES

3.1 The premises must be surrounded by two secure stockproof fences at least 5 metres apart except where the wall of a building forms part of the perimeter.

3.2 The premises shall have an area for the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles well separated from stables, holding pens and the loading area, and facilities for the safe unloading and loading of horses.

3.3 Stables on the premises must be so constructed that they can be readily cleaned and disinfected.

3.4 Stables, yards, fences, and feeding and watering arrangements must be so constructed that the horses are protected from injury, and other welfare needs are met.

3.5 The premises shall have facilities for veterinary examination and the collection of samples, and facilities for the segregation and isolation of sick or suspect horses.

4 OPERATION

4.1 The premises must be approved by an AQIS veterinarian prior to the commencement of each PAQ. All procedures with regard to the operation of the quarantine premises are documented, consistent with a HACCP approach and are subject to audit, including operating procedures for veterinarians, handlers and visitors.

4.2 Stables must be cleaned and disinfected, and exercise yards, holding yards and paddocks cleaned to the satisfaction of an AQIS Veterinarian, prior to the commencement of each PAQ.

4.3 The PAQ premises must be under the direct supervision of an AQIS Veterinarian.

4.4 The PAQ period shall be deemed to start from the time of entry of the last horse.  Horses must not leave the premises during PAQ without permission of AQIS.

4.5 During the PAQ the premises must only be occupied by horses of the import consignment unless otherwise agreed by AQIS.

4.6 All equipment used in the feeding, handling and treatment of the horses in PAQ must be new or cleaned and disinfected before use and must be used only in the premises for the duration of the PAQ. On completion of PAQ, the equipment must be disinfected to the satisfaction of AQIS prior to removal.

4.7 Personnel attending the horses must have no contact with horses outside the premises during PAQ and shower when arriving at the PAQ premises.  They must shower and change outer clothing and footwear before leaving the PAQ premises. Personnel approved entry must be limited to those deemed by AQIS to have essential management duties and understand appropriate biosecurity procedures.

4.8 Any health problems affecting horses or other stock on the premises during PAQ must be promptly reported to the supervising AQIS Veterinarian.  AQIS must be notified if the incident is of quarantine concern.

4.9 A detailed health record must be kept for each horse on the premises during the PAQ period and it must be available to the supervising AQIS Veterinarian.

4.10 Unauthorised access to the premises should be prevented.  All visitor entries should be recorded.

4.11 Vehicles used to transport the horses from the port of arrival to the premises must be cleaned and disinfected to the satisfaction of an AQIS officer before leaving the premises.