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

Note

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

Health certification

The horse must be accompanied by a Health Certificate issued by a government veterinary officer approved by the Department.

The health conditions below must be read in conjunction with the attached protocol [​DOC 45 KB | PDF 211 ​KB].

There may be a requirement for the General Administration of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) to meet with the Department in preparation for the export of horses from Australia to China.

VETERINARY HEALTH CERTIFICATE FOR HORSES FROM AUSTRALIA TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

• Date of embarkation: ............................
  
• Port of departure: .................................
  
• Carrier: ....................................................
  
• Flight number: .......................................
  

I, Dr ………………………………, a duly authorised government veterinary officer, hereby certify that:

1. Australia officially confirms that it is free from African horse sickness and glanders.
   
2. The horses to be exported to China have been resident in Australia since birth or for a minimum of 6 months immediately prior to export.
3. The horses to be exported to China come from farms where no clinical case of Hendra occurred in a 200 km radius during the previous 2 years.
4. The horses to be exported to China come from farms where no clinical case of Equine infectious anaemia occurred in a 8 km radius during the previous 12 months.
   
5. After due enquiry, the horses have only resided on premises that had no cases of the following diseases: Epizootic lymphangitis, equine encephalomyelitis (Eastern and Western), anthrax, equine infectious anaemia, horse pox, surra, piroplasmosis, contagious equine metritis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, ulcerative lymphangitis, Nipah virus encephalitis, equine rhinopneumonitis (equid herpesvirus-1), equine viral arteritis, Japanese encephalitis, equine influenza, salmonellosis (Salmonella​ Abortus-equi), dourine, West Nile fever, horse mange and strangles during the previous 12 months.
6. Prior to entry to the pre-export isolation facility, the horses underwent clinical examination by a registered veterinarian and were tested for the following diseases: 
   
   
1. 6.1. Equine infectious anaemia:
   Test: Agar gel immunodiffusion assay (AGID) with negative results     Date ......./......./20.......
   
   
2. 6.2. Equine rhinopneumonitis (EHV-1):
   
   
   1. Test: *Serum neutralisation test (SNT) – two tests at an interval of 14 days with no more than a four fold increase in titre
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
      OR
      
   2. Test: *Virus isolation (VI) with negative results
      Date ......./......./20.......
      
      
3. 6.3. Hendra virus:
   Test: *SNT with negative results OR *enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with negative results
   Date ......./......./20.......
   
   
4. 6.4. Equine influenza:
   Test: Haemagluttination inhibition (HI) test – two tests at an interval of 14 days with no rise in titre
   Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
   Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
   
   
5. ​​6.5. Equine viral arteritis (EVA):
   
   
   1. Test: *A single virus neutralisation test (VNT), negative at a 1:4 dilution
      Date …../…./20…….
      OR
   2. Test: *Two VNT tests at a 14 day interval with a stable or declining antibody titre; AND VI OR Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with negative results.  
      Date …../…./20……., Titre……………
      Date …../…./20……., Titre……………
      Date …../…./20……., Test: VI* or PCR*
      *Delete as appropriate.
      
      
7. ​ All horses were isolated for at least thirty (30) days before export in premises approved by the Australian Government for this purpose and under the supervision of an official government veterinarian. During the pre-export isolation period, each animal was examined clinically one by one and showed no clinical signs of any infectious or contagious disease, including Japanese encephalitis.
8. At the commencement of the thirty (30) day pre-export isolation period, the horses underwent clinical examination by a registered veterinarian and were tested for the following diseases:
   
   
1. 8.1. Equine infectious anaemia:
   Test: AGID with negative results    Date ......./......./20.......
   
   
2. 8.2. Equine rhinopneumonitis (EHV-1):
   
   
   1. Test: *SNT – two tests at an interval of 14 days with no more than a four fold increase in titre 
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
      OR
   2. Test: *VI with negative results
      Date ......./......./20.......
      
      
3. 8.3. Hendra virus:
   Test: *SNT or *ELISA with negative results      Date ......./......./20.......
   
   
4. 8.4. Equine influenza:
   
   
   1. Test: *HI test – two tests at an interval of 14 days with no rise in titre
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre…………….
      Date ......./......./20......., Titre……………. 
      OR
      
   2. Test: *PCR – two tests with nasopharyngeal swabs taken from the horse 4-6 days after commencement of PEQ and during the 4 days before leaving the PEQ facility with negative results
      Date …../…./20…….
      Date …../…./20…….
      
      
5. 8.5. Equine viral arteritis (EVA):
   
   
   1. Test: *A single VNT, on blood collected at least seven (7) days after the start of pre-export isolation, negative at a 1:4 dilution
      Date …../…./20…….
      OR
      
   2. Test: *Two VNT tests at a 14 day interval with a stable or declining antibody titre; AND VI OR PCR test with negative results.
      Date …../…./20……., Titre……………
      Date …../…./20……., Titre……………
      Date …../…./20……., Test: VI* or PCR*
      *Delete as appropriate.
      
      
9. ​During the pre-export isolation period, the exported horses were treated against leptospirosis with two (2) injections of amoxicillin or penicillin at an interval of 14 days on (date)…../.…/20…… and (date)…../…../20……
10. During the pre-export isolation period, the exported horses were treated against internal and external parasites with parasiticides registered for that purpose in Australia.
    Internal parasites
    
    ………………………………………… (dose and active ingredients) on ……/…../20..… (date)
    
    External parasites
    
    ………………………………………… (dose and active ingredients) on ……/…../20...… (date)
    
    
11. During the pre-export isolation period, the exported horses were vaccinated for Japanese encephalitis on (date)……/..…/20..… using an inactivated vaccine.
12. Fodder and bedding used for transportation and at the premises during the pre-export isolation period, came from an area free from the diseases listed in clause 1.
13. All crates, vehicles, ships or aircraft used for transportation of the horses to China were cleaned and disinfected with a product registered for that use in Australia before loading.
14. The exported horses were examined within 24 hours of export and found to be healthy and free from any signs of infectious or contagious disease.
15. The flight plan for the horses is direct to China with no transits;
    OR
    includes transit at the following airport(s): ……………………………………
    

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.

Health certificate agreed in 2019.

Entry last reviewed 21 August 2023.​