Exporting Horses to United Arab Emirates (permanent exports)

7 October 2008

horaniec.uae

Ref: AE-AE 13L

1. Statutory authority

Pursuant to section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999:

(i) I notify the following overseas market access requirements, entitled horses to United Arab Emirates (permanent exports)

(ii) Revoke OMAR B HORANIEC.UAE 13.06.05 – horses to United Arab Emirates (permanent exports).

This notice takes effect from date of signing.

Dated at Wellington this 9^th day of October 2008.

Signed: Rachelle Linwood
Acting Group Manager
Animal Imports and Exports Group
Border Standards
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
(pursuant to delegated authority)

2. United Arab Emirates Requirements

Horses (permanent exports) exported from New Zealand to United Arab Emirates must comply with the import regulations of United Arab Emirates listed in this notice as follows.

2.1 An import permit is required for the exportation of horses (permanent exports) to United Arab Emirates.

2.2 An official veterinarian authorised by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry must certify, after due enquiry, the following:

2.2.1 The horse comes from a country where the following diseases are compulsorily notifiable: African horse sickness, dourine, glanders, equine encephalomyelitis (of all types including VEE), infectious anaemia, vesicular stomatitis, rabies, anthrax.

2.2.2 The horse has been examined within 24 hours of departure and shows no clinical sign of infectious and contagious disease or external parasites ⁽²⁾ .

2.2.3 The horse is not intended for slaughter under a national programme of infectious or contagious disease eradication.

2.2.4 During the three months immediately preceding the exportation (or since birth if the animal is less than three months old or since entry if it was imported directly from the European Community during the previous three months) it has been resident on holdings under veterinary supervision in New Zealand and 30 days prior to dispatch, apart from equidae not of equivalent health status, in New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture approved isolated premises.

2.2.5 The horse comes from the territory or, in cases of official regionalisation according to Community legislation from a part of the territory of a third country in which:

2.2.5.1 Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has not occurred during the last two years

2.2.5.2 Dourine has not occurred during the last six months

2.2.5.3 Glanders has not occurred during the last six months

2.2.5.4 Vesicular stomatitis has not occurred during the last six months

2.2.5.5 In the case of an uncastrated male animal older than 180 days:

2.2.5.5.1 EITHER equine viral arteritis (EVA) has not been officially recorded during the last six months⁽³⁾

2.2.5.5.2 OR the animal was tested on a sample of blood taken within 21 days of export by a virus neutralisation test for EVA, with negative result at a dilution of 1 in 4 ^(3). (Date of sample)

2.2.5.5.3 OR an aliquot of its entire semen taken within 21 days of export was tested by a virus isolation test for EVA, with negative result ^(3). (Date of sample)

2.2.5.5.4 OR the animal was vaccinated against EVA under official veterinary supervision with a vaccine approved by the competent authority, according to one of the following programmes for initial vaccination, and has been re-vaccinated on regular intervals ^(3). Date of vaccination).

(Cross out vaccination programmes that do not apply to the animal as described in the export certificate)

2.2.5.5.5 Vaccination was carried out on the day a blood sample was taken that subsequently proved negative in a virus neutralisation test at a dilution of 1 in 4

2.2.5.5.6 OR vaccination was carried out during a period of isolation of not more than 15 days under official veterinary control, commencing on the day a blood sample was taken that was tested during that time with negative in a virus neutralisation test at a dilution of 1 in 4

2.2.5.5.7 OR vaccination was carried out when the animal was at an age of 180 to 270 days, during a period of isolation under official veterinary supervision. During the isolation period two blood samples taken at least 10 days apart proved a stable or declining antibody titre in a virus neutralisation test for EVA.

2.2.6 It does not come from the territory or from a part of the territory of a country considered, in accordance with OIE definitions, as infected with African Horse Sickness:

2.2.6.1 EITHER it was not vaccinated against African Horse sickness ⁽³⁾

2.2.6.2 OR it was vaccinated against African Horse sickness ⁽³⁾. (Date of vaccination).

2.2.7.1 EITHER 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:

2.2.7.1.1 during six months in the case of equine encephalomyelitis, beginning on the date on which the equidae suffering from the disease are slaughtered

2.2.7.1.2 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

2.2.7.1.3 during six months in the case of Vesicular stomatitis

2.2.7.1.4 during one month from the last recorded case, in the case of rabies

2.2.7.1.5 during 15 days from the last recorded case, in the case of anthrax

2.2.7.2 OR if all animals of species susceptible to the disease located on the holding have been slaughtered and the premises disinfected, the period of prohibition shall be 30 days, beginning on the day on which the animals were destroyed and the premises disinfected, except in the case of anthrax, where the period of prohibition is 15 days.

2.2.8 It shows no clinical 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 had contact indirectly or directly through coitus with equidae infected or suspected in CEM.

2.2.9 To the best of the official veterinarian’s knowledge, it has not been in contact with equidae suffering from an infectious or contagious disease in the 15 days prior to the declaration on the export certificate.

2.2.10 It was subjected to the following test carried out with negative result on a sample of blood taken within 21 days of export a Coggins test for infectious anaemia (Date of sample).

2.2.11 During the 60 days immediately prior to export, but not within 14 days of export, the horse received:

2.2.11.1 EITHER at least two primary vaccinations against Equine Influenza, given between 21 and 42 days apart *. Dates of vaccinations 1 and 2

2.2.11.2 OR it received a booster vaccination against equine influenza, which was given within 12 months of a certified primary course, or within 12 months of a certified booster vaccination where it, and any other previous booster vaccinations, had been administered annually within a regular 12-month period since the primary course. *. Date of booster vaccination.

(*) For UAE import purposes a primary course of vaccinations will be considered to consist of at least two doses of the same vaccine given 21-42 days apart. Consideration will be given to primary courses given at intervals outside these limits but ONLY if it can be shown that they are in line with the vaccine manufacturer’s recommendations.

2.2.12 The animal is fit to travel on the day of inspection.

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

2.2.14 The declaration as per 2.3 signed by the owner or representative is part of the export certificate.

2.2.15 The export certificate is valid for 10 days.

Notes:

(¹) Part of territory in accordance with Article 13(2) of EU Council Directive 90/426/EEC.

(²) 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 horse, on the last working day before embarkation.

(³) Delete as appropriate.

(⁴) 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 (passport).

2.3 The owner or representative of the horse as described in the export certificate must sign a declaration stating that:

2.3.1 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 health status

2.3.2 The transportation will be effected in such a way that health and well being of the animal can be protected effectively

2.3.3 The animal has either remained in New Zealand since birth or was imported directly into New Zealand from another country. (Date and name of country).

NB. If imported from any country other than a Member State of the European Union or the UAE, the date of import must be at least 90 days prior to the date of export to the UAE

3. Definitions

For the purposes of this document:

Any term or expression that is defined in the Animal Products Act 1999 and used, but not defined in this document, has the same meaning as in this Act.

Explanatory note

These overseas market access requirements are based on the export certificate for horses to United Arab Emirates (permanent exports) dated 7 October 2008.

Additional Information for OMAR Notification: HORANIEC.UAE

07.10.08

1. This OMAR replaces the previous one dated 13 June 2005 with modifications to Equine influenza requirements, and declarations of freedom from external parasites, infectious disease, and fitness to travel. It is drafted on the change of import conditions notification from UAE Animal Wealth Department, drafted 7 September 2008, and becomes active from 15 October 2008.

2. Permission to import must be obtained from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Environment and Water, Animal Welfare Department (MEW/AWD) before shipment leaves the exporting country. In order to obtain an Import Permit a fully completed Import Permit Application form, including the Owner’s Declaration section, should be submitted to the UAE MAF/AWD. Fax: (00971)-4-336-1579. At UAE MEW’s discretion copies of test results and proof of vaccination may also be requested.

A Ministry Fee is also payable.

3. The previous OMAR dated 13 June 2005 replaced that dated 27 February 2001 and was based on importation conditions received on 24 September 2004 via email from Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. They were approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

4. Testing must be carried out in a laboratory approved for that purpose by the Government of New Zealand.

5. Ports of entry: All horses must arrive by Air at one of the approved International Airports – Dubai, Ahu Dhabi, Sharjah, unless special authority is granted for landing elsewhere.

6. Post import isolation and testing:

On arrival in the UAE the horse will be subjected to a minimum of 6 days isolation in an officially approved Isolation Centre and will be subjected to further tests at the discretion of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Should the horse fail any of the tests, or fail to comply with the conditions of import, including failure to provide proper certification it may be required to be re-exported at the owner’s expense or destroyed.

7. Colour of official stamp on the export certificate must be different from that of the printing.

8. EVA testing is required only on uncastrated males. All uncastrated horses should be EVA tested until NZ freedom from EVA is declared, i.e. we will test for EVA despite having no official record of it during the past 6 months - see clause 2.2.5.5.

9. Coggins test is required for all horses.

10. A full description and silhouette must be attached with the export certificate. If a passport has been used for identification then a MAF certified copy must be attached and ‘passport’ written under ‘Method of identification’ in the ‘Identification of animal’ table as specified in the export certificate.

11. In the export certificate, fill in ‘Competent authority validating the passport’ with ‘Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’ as AgriQuality veterinarians will be carrying out this inspection on behalf of MAF.

12. A separate export certificate must be completed for each animal.

Section 61.A of the Animal Products Amendments Act 2005 states that 'The Crown is not liable, and nor is the Director-General or any employee of the Ministry liable, for any loss arising through the refusal or failure of the relevant authority of an overseas market to admit export animal material or animal product to that market'