It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements.

Information about the process required to import animals into New Zealand can be found on the New Zealand Government's Ministry for Primary Industries website. There is a step-by-step guide and an import health standard that should be consulted.

From 1 February 2025, New Zealand requires all imported horses to be identified by microchip. This microchip must be included as the identification on the health certificate and any associated laboratory reports. New Zealand will no longer accept only silhouette, brands and other forms of identification.​​

Note

Where an importing country issues an import permit, the exporter must ensure the animal meets any requirements in the permit.

Health certificate

Part I: Details of dispatched consignment

Veterinary Authority: The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Country of origin: AUSTRALIA                                            Country of destination: NEW ZEALAND
Place of shipment:                                                               Date of departure:
Means of transport:  Aircraft                 Vessel
Commodity: HORSE
Total number of horses:
Identification details (microchip/site):

Part II: Zoosanitary Information

I, Dr                                             , a duly authorised government veterinary officer, herby certify:

Inspection

1. Within 48 hours prior to export, the horses were examined by a registered veterinarian and were found to be free of clinical signs of infectious disease and were fit to travel.

Laboratory

2. Diagnostic testing was conducted at a laboratory accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia.
3. Laboratory samples were collected by a registered veterinarian.

Transport

4. The vehicle for transport of the export horses to the port of departure was cleaned and disinfected with a virucidal disinfectant prior to loading of the horses.
5. During transport to the port of departure, the horses were kept isolated from animals not of equivalent health status.
6. No other animals are being transported on the aircraft or vessel except those certified by an official veterinarian as eligible for export to New Zealand.
7. Horses were loaded into containers that: (Delete a, b or c as appropriate)
   1. are new, and treated with a registered residual insecticide
      OR
      
   2. were cleaned and disinfected with a registered disinfectant before loading and treated with a registered residual insecticide
      OR
      
   3. have not left airside and are crates that have last carried horses from New Zealand to Australia and are   immediately returning to New Zealand.
8. For horses transported by air, the cargo space of the aircraft in which the horses will be transported was sprayed with a registered residual insecticide spray or a current 'Certificate of Residual Disinsection' has been verified.
9. No mare in the consignment is more than 300 days pregnant;
10. No horse in the consignment is less than 1 month of age.

Country/ region disease freedom and residency

11. The horses were free from all quarantine restrictions prior to export to New Zealand.
12. The horses were: (Delete a or b as appropriate)
    1. resident for at least the period specified in brackets below (or since birth if less than 6 months of age), in Australia before export
       OR
       
    2. imported into Australia within the last 6 months, in accordance with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' import requirements;
       AND
       Australia is free from the following diseases:
       • African horse sickness (40 days)
       • Borna disease (90 days)
       • contagious equine metritis (60 days)
       • dourine (60 days)
       • epizootic lymphangitis (60 days)
       • equine encephalomyelitis (Eastern and Western) (90 days)
       • equine encephalosis (40 days)
       • equine influenza (21 days)
       • equine piroplasmosis (30 days)
       • glanders (6 months)
       • Nipah virus (90 days)
       • New World and Old World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax or Chrysomya bezziana myiasis) (21 days)
       • rabies (6 months)
       • equine salmonellosis (Salmonella abortusequi) (90 days)
       • surra (60 days)
       • Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (6 month)
       • vesicular stomatitis (21 days)
       • warble fly (90 days)

For anthrax

13. The horses showed no clinical signs of anthrax at the final inspection prior to export and were kept during the 20 days prior to export (or since being directly imported into Australia) at premises where anthrax has not been reported during that time. Anthrax is notifiable in Australia.

For ectoparasites (delete 14. a or b and 15 as appropriate)

14. The horses were treated within 48 hours of export. The product(s) used were registered for use against ectoparasites and were applied as described in the manufacturer's instructions.
    AND EITHER
    
    1. the horses were thoroughly examined within 48 hours prior to export by a registered veterinarian and there was no evidence of tick infection.
       OR
       
    2. the horses were thoroughly examined within 48 hours prior to export by a registered veterinarian and         ticks were found. The horses were re-treated, and then re-inspected, and ticks were not found.
       AND
       
15. for horses exported from cattle tick infected areas;
    1. treated as per 14. above
       AND
       
    2. horses were stabled for a minimum period of 3 days immediately prior to export to New Zealand.
       AND
       
       1. upon entry to the pre-export stable, the horses and stable environment were sprayed with a registered acaricide and no livestock (cattle/ sheep/ goats/ deer/ buffalo/ camels) was held within 100 metres of the stable premises.
          AND
          
       2. all food and bedding of the stabled horses intended for export were found to be free of evidence of   ticks.
       AND
       
    3. transported to the port of departure in a vehicle that was treated with a registered acaricide before loading.

For endoparasites As per Schedule

16. the horses were treated within 48 hours of export. The product used is a registered broad spectrum endoparasiticide and was applied as described in the manufacturer's instructions.

For equine herpesvirus 1 [abortigenic and paralytic forms (EHV-1)]

17. the horses showed no clinical sign of EHV-1 infection (abortigenic and paralytic forms) at the final inspection and were kept for at least 21 days prior to export (or since being directly imported into Australia) at premises where no official case of EHV-1 infection (abortigenic and paralytic forms) was reported during that time.

For equine infectious anaemia¹ (EIA) As per Schedule

18. EIA is notifiable in Australia
    AND
    The horses:
    1. showed no clinical sign of EIA at the final inspection; AND
    2. were kept since birth or for at least the past 90 days (or since being directly imported into Australia) at premises where no official case of EIA has been reported during that time; AND
    3. were tested with negative results for EIA virus using an agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test or an ELISA on a sample collected during the 21 days prior to export.

For equine viral arteritis² (EVA) (Delete clause 19, 20 or 21 as appropriate) As per Schedule

19. For uncastrated male horses: (Delete a, b or c as appropriate, except Shuttle Stallions – see point 20)
    
    The horses showed no clinical sign of EVA at final inspection; they were kept for at least the 28 days prior to export at premises where EVA has not been reported during that time;
    AND
    
    1. were tested negative for EVA antibodies using a virus neutralisation test on a sample collected during the 28 days prior to export.
       OR
       
    in the case of stallions that are seropositive for EVA virus³, there is no evidence of them being treated with gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist or shedding EVA in their semen as determined by the following:
    
    
    2. during the 6 months prior to export the seropositive stallion was test mated to 2 mares. The mares were subjected to 2 virus neutralisation tests for EVA, with negative results. The first sample was collected from each mare at the time of test mating and the second sample collected 28 days later.
       OR
       
    3. during the 6 months prior to export the seropositive stallion(s) has been tested with negative results by virus isolation on the sperm rich fraction of 2 separate semen samples. (As per Schedule)

    ³ For an EVA seropositive stallion a Veterinary Declaration is attached (see Appendix 1) that has been signed by a veterinarian indicating that there is no evidence of the stallion ever shedding virus in semen or being treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist.

20. For shuttle stallions: (Delete a, b, c or d as appropriate)
    1. Clause 19a, 19b or 19c was met;
       OR
       
    2. between 6–9 months of age 2 blood samples were collected 14 days apart which showed stable or declining EVA antibody titres. After the last blood sample was collected the horse was immediately vaccinated for EVA, and revaccinated to maintain current EVA vaccination status as described in the manufacturer's instructions.
       OR
       
    3. were vaccinated for EVA as described in the following protocol
       • held in isolation for 7 days and then tested negative for EVA antibodies using a virus neutralisation test; and
       • after the blood sample was collected the stallion/s was/were vaccinated for EVA; and
       • following vaccination stallion/s was/were isolated from all other horses for a further 21 days; and
       • were revaccinated to maintain current EVA vaccination status as described in the manufacturer's instructions.
       OR
       
    4. were subjected to virus isolation on the sperm rich fraction of 2 separate semen samples (may be taken on the same day) as described in the Terrestrial Manual with negative results; and
       • vaccinated for EVA after the semen samples were collected; and
       • were revaccinated to maintain current EVA status as described in the manufacturer's instructions.

For all horses other than uncastrated males

Note

Where a horse destined for New Zealand returns a positive virus neutralisation test result for EVA, and there is no history of prior vaccination, the premises of residence are no longer considered to be free from reported cases of EVA until:

1. the relevant state/territory veterinary authority has assessed and resolved the status of the premises OR
   
2. a repeat virus neutralisation test is undertaken which shows a negative titre or a second virus neutralisation test is undertaken at least 14 days after the date of blood sampling for the first test which returned the positive result and shows a stable or declining titre.
   

21. The horses showed no clinical sign of EVA at the time of final inspection; and they were kept for at least the 28 days prior to export (or since being directly imported into Australia) at premises where EVA has not been reported; (Delete a or b as appropriate)
    AND EITHER
    
    1. Were tested negative for EVA antibodies using a virus neutralisation test. The samples for testing were collected during the 28 days prior to export.
       OR
       
    2. During the 28 days prior to export, 2 blood samples were collected from the horses at least 14 days apart, the samples were tested for EVA antibodies using a virus neutralisation test and the results showed stable or declining titres.

For Hendra virus

22. 1. Hendra virus infection is notifiable in Australia
    2. the horses were kept since birth or for at least 90 days prior to export (or since being directly imported into Australia) at premises where no case of Hendra virus infection in horses was reported during that time.

Schedule of horses

If your animal is returning to Australia, you should make yourself familiar with Australia's requirements for importing live animals into Australia. This is important as your animal may have been exposed to diseases that do not occur in Australia.

Based on a protocol that was last negotiated in November 2024.

Entry last reviewed 19 December 2024.​