Notice to Industry 7: Veterinary therapeutic kits

This information is provided to inform travelling grooms and veterinarians of the biosecurity requirements and their obligations when arriving into Australia with kits containing equine veterinary therapeutics.

This document is provided for information only. To the extent that this document is inconsistent with any import permit or direction, the terms and conditions of the import permit or direction take precedence and will apply. Failure to comply with a condition of an import permit, direction or industry notice may constitute an offence.

Veterinary therapeutic kits carried by veterinarians and/or grooms for use in flights/shipments of horses imported into Australia, or those returning to Australia (without accompanying horses) following previous use with horse export consignments.

Veterinary therapeutic kits can be used in flight or in the corral at import clearances for horses. Where possible, kits should accompany horses to the corral in case they are needed during unloading of horses from air-stalls and reloading into horse transport vehicles. The kits may then be immediately exported if the person in charge is departing on the same day as the arrival, or if not, one of the following requirements must be followed.

1. Import permit

The import permit for ‘Veterinary medical kits accompanying consignments of live horses imported into Australia’, outlines all the biosecurity conditions required, including storage and use of the kit at an Approved Arrangement site.

More information on Australia’s import conditions for veterinary therapeutics and medicines can be found in the Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON).

(enter " Veterinary therapeutics and medicines" into the search field).

Or contact the department’s Biological Imports Program for assistance (1800 900 090, imports@aff.gov.au).

2. No import permit

Veterinary therapeutic kits arriving without an import permit must be given to a department biosecurity officer, unless accompanying the person in charge on the next flight/vessel for immediate export.

The biosecurity officer will ensure the outside of the kit is free from biosecurity risk material. Veterinary therapeutic kits arriving on northern hemisphere flights will also be disinfected or double bagged.

The biosecurity officer will apply a tamper proof government seal to ensure the veterinary therapeutic kit is not opened in Australia. The veterinary therapeutic kit seal may only be broken in the presence of a department biosecurity officer, or after export.

Note: If the seal is broken (e.g. for re-stocking in the presence of a biosecurity officer), it must be re-sealed by a biosecurity officer unless the kit is due to be exported immediately. The new seal number must be recorded on the direction.

If the person in charge of the veterinary therapeutic kit has an outbound flight within 72 hours of arrival and provides those details to the biosecurity officer, the kit will be directed for export and returned to the person in charge.

If the person in charge of the veterinary therapeutic kit is unable to provide their outbound flight details, or their outbound flight is more than 72 hours after arrival, the kit will be directed to be held at an AA site or by the department.

Veterinary therapeutic kits that are held by the department prior to export may be:

• delivered to the export consignment by the attending veterinary officer;
  or
• a representative of the importer must meet a live animal team biosecurity officer at the regional office during business hours (with proof of an outbound flight booking within the next 72 hours) to collect the kit for export.

Prior to export, the department will require confirmation that the veterinary therapeutic kit is still sealed with the seal number listed on the direction. To achieve this, the person in charge must either:

• provide confirmation of their flight/the impending veterinary therapeutic kit export to the live animal team office by email, within 24 hours of the flight. A photo of the intact seal on the veterinary therapeutic kit must be included;
  or
• meet a live animal team biosecurity officer during the horse export consignment and present the veterinary therapeutic kit/s for export, showing the seal is still in place.

Supplying a copy of this Notice to Industry 7 may assist biosecurity officers that are unfamiliar with veterinary therapeutic kits.

Note: If there are any problems concerning the handling/storage/re-export of veterinary therapeutic kits please contact horses@aff.gov.au.