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

Information on the requirements to import a horse into the United Arab Emirates is available on the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment’s website.

Services can be accessed electronically via the website. Help is also available via a call centre number:

Phone

800 3050

Email

info@moccae.gov.ae

At UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment's discretion copies of test results and proof of vaccination may be requested.

• Singapore and Hong Kong are an acceptable route.
• Importation of horses by sea is not permitted by the UAE Government from any country.

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.

An owner’s declaration regarding transport of the animal and time in Australia must be attached to the health certificate (see form required under Health Certificate below).

The United Arab Emirates also requires the completion of an ‘Annex B’ to the health certification with additional attestations from the registered veterinarian and Australian Government accredited veterinarian (AAV) (see form required under Health Certificate below).

Health certificate

Health certificate for the permanent import of registered horses into the United Arab Emirates from Australia

I. Identification of the animal

A passport identifying the animal may be attached to this certificate provided that its number is stated.

1. (a) No of identification document (Passport): ..................................................................
2. (b) Validated by: .................................................................(Name of competent authority)

II. Origin and destination of the animal

The animal is to be sent from:

...............................................................................................................................

[Name and address of pre-export quarantine (PEQ) facility]

directly to:.............................................................................................................

(Place of destination in the UAE)

by aircraft.............................................................................................................

(indicate flight number)

III. Health Information

I, ................................................. the undersigned, certify that the animal described above meets the following requirements:

1. (a) It comes from Australia where the following diseases are compulsorily notifiable: African Horse Sickness, Dourine, Glanders, Equine Encephalomyelitis (of all types including VEE), Infectious Anaemia, Vesicular Stomatitis, Rabies and Anthrax.
2. (b) It has been examined within 24 hours of export and shows no clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease and no sign of external parasites and is fit to travel; ¹
3. (c) It is not intended for slaughter under a national program of infectious or contagious disease eradication;
4. (d) During the three months immediately preceding the exportation (or since birth if less than three months old or since entry if it was imported directly from the UAE during the previous three months) it has been resident on holdings under veterinary supervision in Australia and 30 days prior to dispatch apart from equidae not of equivalent health status, in an Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources approved isolation premises.
5. (e) Australia is a country where:
1. i) Venezuelan, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis has not occurred during the past two years;
2. ii) Rabies has not occurred during the past two years;
3. iii) Dourine has not occurred during the past six months;
4. iv) Glanders has not occurred during the past six months:
5. v) Vesicular stomatitis has not occurred during the past six months
6. (f) In the case of an uncastrated male animal older than 180 days,
1. - A single blood sample was taken from the horse at least four days after commencement of PEQ and tested using a virus neutralisation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, with negative results*
   OR
   
2. - The horse was subjected between six and nine months of age to a virus neutralisation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual with either
   
1. a. a negative result,* or
2. b. with a positive result, carried out on two blood samples collected at least 14 days apart with a stable or decreasing antibody titre*
   
3. and subsequently was vaccinated against equine viral arteritis and has since been regularly revaccinated as required.*
   OR
   
4. - The horse was isolated and a single blood sample was taken seven days or more after commencement of isolation and tested using a virus neutralisation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, with negative results and subsequently the horse was vaccinated against equine viral arteritis. The horse remained isolated from other equids not of equivalent health status from the time the blood sample was taken until 21 days immediately after vaccination and was regularly revaccinated as required.*
   OR
   
5. - The horse was subjected to a virus neutralisation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, carried out on a single blood sample with positive results and then either
   
1. a. was subsequently test-mated to two mares within 180 days before export which were subjected to two virus neutralisation tests for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, with negative results on blood samples collected at the time of test mating and again 28 days after mating * or
2. b. was subjected to a virus isolation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, with negative results, carried out on semen collected during the 180 days immediately before export * or
3. c. was subjected to a virus isolation test for equine viral arteritis as described in the OIE Manual, with negative results, carried out on semen collected within 180 days after the blood sample was tested and subsequently the horse was vaccinated against equine viral arteritis. The horse has since been regularly revaccinated as required.*
6. * delete as appropriate
   
7. (g) Australia is currently recognised as African Horse Sickness free by the OIE
   
   after due enquiry either it was not vaccinated against African horse sickness*
   
   or
   
   it was vaccinated against African Horse Sickness on ………………………………..*.²
   
   *delete as appropriate
   
   
8. (h) It does not come from a holding which was subject to prohibition for animal health reasons nor had contact with equidae from a holding which was subject to prohibition for animal health reasons:
1. i) in the case of Infectious Anaemia, until the date on which the infected animals having been slaughtered, the remaining animals have shown a negative reaction to two Coggins tests carried out three months apart;
2. ii) during 15 days from the last recorded case, in the case of Anthrax.
   
9. (i) It shows no signs of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) and it does not come from a holding where there has been any suspicion of CEM during the past two months nor after due enquiry, had contact indirectly or directly through coitus with equidae infected or suspected to be infected with CEM;
10. (j) To the best of my knowledge, the animal has not been in contact with equidae suffering from an infectious or contagious disease in the 15 days prior to this declaration.
11. (k) It was subjected to the following test carried out with negative results on a sample of blood taken within 21 days of export on: …………………………²
1. - a Coggins test for Infectious Anaemia;
12. (l) During the 60 days immediately prior to export, but not within 14 days of export, the animal received EITHER
1. i) two primary vaccinations against Equine Influenza given between 21 and 42 days apart with the same vaccine,*
   
   OR
   
   
2. ii) a booster vaccination against Equine Influenza within 12 months of a primary course, or within 12 months of a booster vaccination where it, and any other previous booster vaccinations, have been administered at least annually, within a regular 12 month period, since the primary course.*
3. 
   Date(s) of vaccination....................................................²
   
   Type of vaccine...............................................................
   
   Batch No(s)......................................................................
   
13. (m) During the past 60 days the equidae have not been resident on holdings on which cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed by the competent authorities during the past 60 days.
    
    The equidae have not been in direct contact with equidae which have been resident on infected holdings during the last 60 days.

IV. The animal will be sent in a vehicle cleansed and disinfected in advance, with a disinfectant officially recognised in Australia, and designed in a way that droppings, litter or fodder cannot escape during transportation.

The following declaration signed by the owner or representative is part of the certificate.

V. This certificate is valid for 10 days.

Notes

1 – The colour of the stamp must be different to that of printing.

¹ – This certificate must be issued on the day of loading of the animal for dispatch to the UAE, or in the case of a registered horses, on the last working day before embarkation.

² – Insert date – in the case of a registered equine animal, tests carried out, their results and vaccination have to be entered in the identification document.

OWNER / REPRESENTATIVE DECLARATION

I, the undersigned ....................................................................................(insert name in block capitals)

(owner or representative of the animal described above),

Declare:

1. The animal will be sent directly from the premises of dispatch to the premises of destination without coming into contact with other equidae not of the same tested health status.
   
   
The transportation will be effected in such a way that health and well-being of the animal can be protected effectively.


2. The animal has either remained in Australia for at least 90 days or since birth or it was imported directly into Australia from the United Arab Emirates on (date) ………………………………………
   
   NB. If imported from any other country other than the UAE the date of import must be at least 90 days prior to the date of export to the UAE
   

__________________________________________________________(Place) _______________________________________(Date)

__________________________________________________________(Signature)

Annex B

SECTION 1

ATTESTATION BY VETERINARIAN REGISTERED IN AUSTRALIA WHO IS OVERSEEING THE PRE-EXPORT QUARANTINE OF THE HORSES IN TABLE 1

I, ............................... the registered veterinarian overseeing pre-export quarantine hereby certify that each of the above horse(s) was/were tested as follows,

1. EITHER:
   
   *a) It was subject to the following test on a sample of blood collected within 14 days of the date of export with negative results
   **Streptococcus equi equi Antibody ELISA to Antigen A and Antigen C.
   Or
   *b) It was subject to the following test on a sample of blood collected within 14 days of the date of export with positive results
   **Streptococcus equi equi Antibody ELISA to Antigen A and Antigen C.
   
   And thereafter,
   
   Bilateral guttural pouch wash samples were collected and tested for Streptococcus equi equi by Polymerase Chain Reaction Test, (PCR) with a negative result.
   

Signature of registered veterinarian ............................................................................................

Name in block letters ............................................................ Date ..............................................

* Delete as appropriate

** This is an Animal Health Trust Diagnostic Laboratory Test. In Australia it is currently licensed to the Melbourne University Veterinary School, Diagnostic Laboratory.

Results less than 0.5 for either antigen are accepted as negative.

Single test results of 0.5 or higher for either antigen are considered positive

SECTION 2

ATTESTATION BY AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL VETERINARIAN

After due enquiry and examination of the available documentation, I have no reason to doubt the above attestation by ......................................................, the registered veterinarian overseeing pre-export quarantine whose signature appears above, in regards to the strangles testing of the above horses named in Australian Health Certificate No. .............................. during pre-export quarantine.

Signature of the official veterinarian............................................................  Stamp ................................

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 2 December 2016, additional requirements 16 May 2017 and importing country website and information.

Entry last reviewed 12 February 2021