Notice to Industry 7: Veterinary therapeutic kits

The intended outcome of this document is 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, direction or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility, the terms and conditions of the import permit, direction or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility take precedence and will apply. Failure to comply with a condition of an import permit, direction, industry notice or authorisation to enter a quarantine facility 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.

1. Import permit

The import permit for ‘Medical kit accompanying consignments of live horses imported into Australia’, outlines all the biosecurity conditions required, including storage 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. Supplying a copy of this Notice to Industry 7 may assist biosecurity officers that are unfamiliar with veterinary therapeutic kits.  The kit must be directed for holding under government seal until export. The seal may only be broken in the presence of a department biosecurity officer and must be re-sealed by the biosecurity officer until export.

To have the veterinary therapeutic kit released for export, the person in charge must show that it is still sealed with the same seal listed on the direction. The person in charge must meet a relevant biosecurity officer at either:

• the live animal team office during business hours, approximately 24 hours before the flight, with proof of the flight booking (in person or via email) and a photo of the seal on the veterinary therapeutic kit still in place;
  
  or

• the horse export consignment and present the veterinary therapeutic kit/s for export showing the correct seal is still in place.

The biosecurity officer will remove the seal at the departure port and provide the veterinary kit to the importer/person in charge for export.

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

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