Horses for Transshipping via Hong Kong

16 August 2011

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Overseas Market Access Requirements Notification - Animal Products Act 1999 - MAF Biosecurity New Zealand

Ref:  AE-HK-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 for transhipment via Hong Kong

(ii) Revoke HORTEMEC.HK, dated 30 March 2010 (horses for temporary export / transhipment / re-entry to Hong Kong); HORTEMEC2.HK, dated 30 March 2010 (horses for temporary export / transhipment / re-entry to Hong Kong); and HORTEMEC3.HK, dated 29 April 2011 (horses to Australia, for onward temporary export/transshipment/re-entry to Hong Kong).

This notice takes effect from date of signing.

Dated at Wellington this 7th day of September 2011.

Signed: Matthew Stone BVSc MVS MACVSc
Group Manager
Animal Imports and Exports
Import Export Directorate
Standards Branch
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
(pursuant to delegated authority)

2.  Hong Kong requirements

Horses for transhipping via Hong Kong must comply with the import requirements of Hong Kong listed in this notice as follows:

2.1  A Special Permit Number is required to export horses for transshipping via Hong Kong.

2.2  An Official Veterinarian authorised by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry(5), must certify, after due enquiry, the following:

2.2.1  The horses’ Permanent/Usual Residency(7) is in the following country/Macau or as listed on the export certificate.

2.2.2  The horse for export has been resident in the countries//Macau for the last 60 days prior to export according to the sequence* as listed in the export certificate. Country / Countries)/Macau, entry date (s) and exit date (s) to be recorded on the export certificate.

2.2.3  All of the country/countries listed in clauses 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 are included in the list of Scheduled Countries(4).

2.2.4  The Official Veterinarian has the horse identified in this certificate within 24 hours prior to export and found it to be free from clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease, free from external parasites and fit to travel.

2.2.5  The exporting country/Macau has either been African Horse Sickness (AHS) free for the last two years and vaccination against AHS has not been practiced for the last 12 months, or it has an officially recognised AHS Free Zone(9). AHS is a notifiable disease in the exporting country/Macau. The horse has not been on any premises where AHS has occurred in the past 60 days and the horse has not been infected with AHS in the past 60 days.

2.2.6  The exporting country/Macau has been free from Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis and glanders for the last two years and the horse has not been vaccinated against Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis in the past 60 days.

2.2.7  During the 60 day period immediately preceding export or for the entire period that the horse has been resident in the exporting country/Macau (if less than 60 days residency), the horse was continuously resident on holdings which did not have any cases of the diseases listed below during that time and did not suffer from any of these diseases:

Anthrax**

Equine influenza

Scabies

Contagious equine metritis**

Equine piroplasmosis

St. Louis encephalitis

Dourine**

Equine viral arteritis

Strangles (Streptococcus equi)

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis**

Glanders**

Surra

Epizootic lymphangitis

Hendra virus infection

Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis**

Equine ehrlichiosis

Horse mange

Vesicular stomatitis**

Equine encephalosis

Horse pox

Western equine encephalomyelitis**

Equine herpes virus (abortigenic and neurotropic) infection

Japanese encephalitis

 

Equine infectious anaemia**

Nipah virus infection

 

2.2.7.1  The diseases with a double asterisk (**) listed above are compulsorily notifiable in the exporting country/Macau.

2.2.8  Based on the certification and laboratory results provided:

2.2.8.1  Blood samples have been taken from the horse within 21 days of export.

2.2.8.2  The following tests were performed with negative results (unless otherwise stated) in each case(11).

2.2.9  No vaccines have been administered to the horse within 7 days of export to Hong Kong.

2.2.10  The original or certified copies of all laboratory tests and vaccination certificates (if vaccinations are recorded in the horse’s passport a certified copy of the relevant pages of the passport is still required) have been endorsed and must be attached to this certificate(8).

2.2.11  All sections must be completed by inserting a tick in the appropriate box.

i. African horse sickness

check boxThe horse has not during the last 60 days been in any country in which African horse sickness (AHS) has been reported in the last 2 years and in which vaccination against AHS has been practiced in the last 12 months.

OR

check boxThe horse originates from an official AHS free zone of a country, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test has been carried out on two samples of blood taken with an interval of between 21 and 30 days on ___________________(12) and ___________________(12), the second of which must be taken within 14 days of export either with negative result if it has not been vaccinated or with no increase in antibody titre if it has been vaccinated.  
ii. Dourine

check boxThe horse has not, during the last 60 days, been in any country/Macau where dourine has been reported the last 12 months.

OR

check boxThe complement fixation test (CFT) on __________________(12).
iii. Equine influenza testing  

check boxEquine influenza has not been reported in the last 2 years and it is a compulsorily notifiable disease.

OR For countries/Macau where equine influenza has been reported in the last 2 years or it is not a notifiable disease, a nasopharyngeal swab was collected from the horse within 48 hours prior to export and was subjected to the following test:

check boxA polymerase chain reaction test for influenza A on ___________________(12).

OR

check boxThe Directigen Flu A or Flu A+B test kit manufactured by Becton, Dickinson and Company USA (BD) on ___________________(12).

OR

check boxThe ESPLINE Influenza A and B-N kit manufactured by Fujirebio Inc. on ___________________(12).

OR

check boxAnother test as approved by AFCD. 
iv. Equine infectious anaemia

check boxThe immunodiffusion (Coggins) test on ___________________(12).
v. Rabies  

check boxThe horse has not, during the last 60 days, been in any country/Macau where rabies has been reported the last 2 years.

OR

check boxDuring the 60 days prior to export, the horse has not been exposed to rabies nor been on any premises infected with rabies. The horse has either not been vaccinated against rabies or was vaccinated against rabies using an approved vaccine not less than 30 days and not more than 12 months prior to export.

 
vi. Surra  

check boxThe horse has not, during the last 60 days, been in any country/Macau where surra has been reported the last 2 years.

OR

check boxThe horse has been kept in vector protected facilities for 21 days prior to export and treated with an effective vector repellent/insecticide each time it left the facilities. A blood sample has been taken 7 days after the start of isolation on the ­­­­­­­___________ and tested using an antibody-detection ELISA and microhaematocrit centrifugation technique for surra.

 
vii. Vesicular stomatitis  

check boxThe horse has not, during the last 60 days, been in any country/Macau where vesicular stomatits has been reported the last 2 years.

OR

check boxDuring the 60 days prior to export the horse has only been present on premises further than 50 kilometres from a reported case of vesicular stomatitis in the last 12 months. The horse was tested for vesicular stomatitis with the virus neutralisation test (VNT) or an antigen ELISA on_______________(12).

 
viii. Western and Eastern
equine encephalomyelitis  		  

check boxThe horse has not, during the last 60 days, been in any country/Macau where western and eastern equine encephalomyelitis has been reported the last 2 years.

OR

check boxThe horse was vaccinated against Western and Eastern equine encephalomyelitis with inactivated vaccine on ______________within 6 months to 30 days prior to export.

  OR

check boxThe horse was kept in AFCD approved vector proof facilities for 21 days prior to export.

2.2.12.1  The horse is not pregnant

2.2.12.2  OR so far as can be determined the horse is less than 7 months pregnant.

2.2.13  The horse was thoroughly examined for external parasites by either an Official Veterinary Officer or a designated veterinarian within 24 hours prior to export. A systematic approach was undertaken with close examination of ears, false nostrils, under body areas (axilla, inguinal, under mandible), perineum, mane and tail.

2.2.14.1  No ticks were found

2.2.14.2  OR ticks were found and all horses in the premises were immediately treated with a parasiticide effective against ticks. Subsequent re-inspection established that ticks were no longer present.  

2.2.15  The horse was treated with a broad spectrum parasiticide, licensed/registered for use on horses, capable of killing ticks and used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations within 48 hours prior to export.

2.2.16  Transit via Australia: After due enquiry and to the best of the Official Veterinarian’s knowledge:

2.2.16.1  The horses for export will transit through the following country en route to Hong Kong. The schedule entry date and scheduled exit date to be recorded on the export certificate.

2.2.16.2  During the transit via Australia, the horses will have no contact with animals not of the same certified health status.*

* To be deleted if not applicable

2.2.17  The certification is valid for 72 hours prior to the scheduled export and until importation into Hong Kong. If a flight is delayed longer than 72 hours then re-certification is required.

2.3  The same Official Veterinarian who has certified the foregoing section or by an authorised transportation agent must certify that:

2.3.1  The vehicle for the transport of the horse to the port of exit was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with an officially approved disinfectant and was treated with an officially approved insecticide to my satisfaction immediately prior to the loading of the animal.

2.3.2  During the transportation, after due enquiry and to the best of his/her knowledge the horse will have no contact with animals not of the same certified health status.

2.3.3  Procedures are in place to ensure that the containers that the horses will be transported in and loading facilities will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to use.

2.3.4  The containers meet the design and species requirements recommendations of the International Air Transport Association.

2.4.1  In the event of the horse identified in SECTION I of the export certificate, arriving in Hong Kong without the correct certification or in any other way not having met these requirements, the horse and any in-contact horse or equipment may be exported at the importer’s expense or destroyed and disposed of at the importer’s expense.

2.4.2  Transshipment will be scheduled to be no longer than 8 hours in Hong Kong.

FOOTNOTES:

  1. This horse export certificate is applicable for all transshipment of horse, including horses via Hong Kong to Macau and Mainland China by road and for horses shipped by unapproved carrier to Hong Kong.
  2. Airlines/exporters/importers can apply to AFCD for approval to be exempt from a transshipment horse export certificate (i.e. only certification for the destination country will be required). This approval will be based on country of origin, transportation type, contingency plans and any other factors as determined by AFCD.
  3. The language of the exporting/importing country(ies)/Macau may also be used providing that it appears below the English version on the same certification. In the event of any differences, the English version will prevail.
  4. Scheduled countries for transshipment of horses via HK: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Peninsular Malaysia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom (Great Britain & Northern Ireland) and the United States of America. The Special Administrative Region of Macau is also classified as scheduled country in the context of this document.
  5. Competent Authority: The government authority of the exporting country/Macau, which is responsible to issue official certification for the export of horse.
  6. The consignor or his authorised agent must complete the acknowledgement (SECTION IX) attached to the certificate.
  7. Permanent/Usual Residency: The horse has been continuously resident in the exporting country/Macau for at least 60 days (or since birth if the horse is less than 3 months old) prior to the date of export.
  8. Certified copies may be photocopies of the original documentation bearing the name, title, signature, date and official stamp of the Official Veterinarian issuing the onward certification.
  9. An official African horse sickness free zone of a country, territory or part of a territory as designated by the AFCD.
  10. All serological tests and vaccinations must be carried out in accordance with the latest version of the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines if OIE standards exist. The laboratory reports (or certified copies) for tests carried out must be attached to this certificate and officially endorsed by the certifying veterinarian. Proof of vaccinations must also be attached to the export certificate.
  11. Blood samples must be sent to a laboratory approved by the veterinary authority of that country/Macau.
  12. Enter date the blood sample was collected.

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

This OMAR is based on the export certificate for horses for transshipping via Hong Kong, dated 16 August 2011.

Additional information on OMAR notification – HORTMIEC.HK 16.08.11

  1. This OMAR for the previous three OMARs dated 30 March 2010 and 29 April 2011. This OMAR is based on the export certificate which is based on the model Export Certificate for Horses Transshipping via Hong Kong dated June 2011. The certificate was approved by the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on 30 August 2011.
  2. This certificate is to be used for horses transhipping Hong Kong en route to another final country. This export certificate allows horses to travel direct to Hong Kong, or transit via Australia en route to Hong Kong. In the case of the consignment transiting via Australia, a separate transit certificate must also be used.
  3. Hong Kong permits horses from NZ to transit via Australia provided that, if the horses are removed from the plane, the horses will have no contact with animals not of the same certified health status. A short stay of up to 72 hours in a transitional facility is allowed.
  4. An Import (Special) Permit is required from the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
  5. Where the horses transit via Australia, a transit permit is also required from AQIS.
  6. Where an identification silhouette is provided rather than a passport, enter ‘N/A’ or ‘not applicable’ in the relevant columns for Passport Number and Issuing/Validating Authority.

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.'