EQUINE INFLUENZA – SOUTH AUSTRALIAN UPDATE
Changes will be made to facilitate recovery of South Australia’s horse industry in the wake of very positive reports from New South Wales and Queensland regarding the containment and eradication of equine influenza.
The changes will come into force on 1 February 2008 and include:
• Moving from a permit system for events to a registration system (all gatherings of more than 10 horses from two or more properties)
• Freeing up horse movements between the green zones of New South Wales and Queensland into South Australia (Allowed under permit with a relaxation of pre-entry and post arrival requirements)
Organisers must register events with PIRSA and people attending events must complete and hand in an Event Participant Declaration (EPD) or a Horse Health Statement (HHS) if travelling from interstate on arrival at the venue.
Appropriate biosecurity measures will still be required at all events.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Rob Rahaley said that it was pleasing to be able to relax requirements but warned that the equine influenza (EI) fight was not over.
“There is increasing confidence that the disease will be stamped out in the next few months, although there will need to be a period of time without a new infection before interstate authorities can claim to have achieved eradication,” he said. “The big risk now will be complacency and we simply can’t afford for that to happen at this stage when we’re so close to becoming EI free.”
Dr Rahaley said that the new requirements for event organisers and horse owners were a balance that provided greater scope for events and horse movements to resume but which maintained a reasonable level of biosecurity.
“I am confident we have the mix right and I hope that we will announce further changes but it very much depends on everyone doing the right thing and playing their part in maintaining South Australia’s disease free status. Of course, any change will be dependent on continued success in eradication of the disease interstate.”
Specific details regarding the changes will be listed on the PIRSA web site closer to 1 February 2008. More information:
• PIRSA website – www.pir.sa.gov.au/horseflu
• PIRSA hotline – 1800 675 888
• Equestrian clubs and associations
• Horse SA 0402 488 306
The changes will come into force on 1 February 2008 and include:
• Moving from a permit system for events to a registration system (all gatherings of more than 10 horses from two or more properties)
• Freeing up horse movements between the green zones of New South Wales and Queensland into South Australia (Allowed under permit with a relaxation of pre-entry and post arrival requirements)
Organisers must register events with PIRSA and people attending events must complete and hand in an Event Participant Declaration (EPD) or a Horse Health Statement (HHS) if travelling from interstate on arrival at the venue.
Appropriate biosecurity measures will still be required at all events.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Rob Rahaley said that it was pleasing to be able to relax requirements but warned that the equine influenza (EI) fight was not over.
“There is increasing confidence that the disease will be stamped out in the next few months, although there will need to be a period of time without a new infection before interstate authorities can claim to have achieved eradication,” he said. “The big risk now will be complacency and we simply can’t afford for that to happen at this stage when we’re so close to becoming EI free.”
Dr Rahaley said that the new requirements for event organisers and horse owners were a balance that provided greater scope for events and horse movements to resume but which maintained a reasonable level of biosecurity.
“I am confident we have the mix right and I hope that we will announce further changes but it very much depends on everyone doing the right thing and playing their part in maintaining South Australia’s disease free status. Of course, any change will be dependent on continued success in eradication of the disease interstate.”
Specific details regarding the changes will be listed on the PIRSA web site closer to 1 February 2008. More information:
• PIRSA website – www.pir.sa.gov.au/horseflu
• PIRSA hotline – 1800 675 888
• Equestrian clubs and associations
• Horse SA 0402 488 306
posted by Horse Deals at
11:26 am
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