Keeping our country free of disease

When we talk about disease and damage to our agricultural and livestock industries, Australia is a lucky country. We are free of many of the exotic diseases that can devastate livestock and for this we should be proud. Keeping our country and our horses free of potentially life-threatening illness is highly intensive and involves strict adherence to regulations and protocols designed to prevent viruses, bacteria, and parasites from entering our lands.

Whilst there have been times when diseases foreign to our lands have arrived at our doorsteps, the well-maintained quarantine facilities have prevented their escaping into our horse population – except for one very well publicised and very expensive event, the 2007 Equine Influenza saga.

Australia has very strict quarantine laws that need to be adhered to when importing a horse from overseas. There are some countries that we will not accept horses from because of the high risk they represent at bringing in an exotic disease. Other countries can export to Australia but only after their horses have been placed into quarantine before their departure from their country and again into quarantine on their arrival here. Even our horses that have travelled overseas for competitions must go through quarantine to be able to return home, sometimes requiring extended periods in a third country before being able to land in Australia...

Read the full article in the November 2023 issue of Equestrian Life magazine here.

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