Christmas arrangements: movement permit and event applications

Horse owners have been urged to make arrangements now if they plan to move horses under permit or hold a horse event over the Christmas/new year period, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said.

Equine influenza (EI) control operations will be scaled back over the holiday period to cut costs to the horse industry during a time of reduced demand, and allow people seconded from throughout NSW and interstate to return home to their families for Christmas.

“If you must move horses in an amber or red zone over the Christmas/new year break, or during the first week of January when full operations have resumed, you will need to apply for a permit by December 19 to enable your application to be assessed before Christmas,” Minister Macdonald said.

“People planning to hold registered horse events have an earlier deadline of Friday December 14 to ensure a full risk assessment can be done in time.”

Applications for permits to move horses can be submitted to your local Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB), or to stage events via the DPI website.

Deputy chief veterinary officer Ian Roth said although EI was on the wane, there were still ongoing restrictions on horse movements and events throughout NSW.

“These short term arrangements should have minimal additional impact as we are expecting fewer horse movements and events over Christmas,” Mr Roth said.

“This is because NSW is still in an emergency situation where horses should only be moved when it is absolutely essential.

“Movement restrictions are vital to both contain the EI virus so it can burn out and so we can trace horse movements if the outbreak spreads.

“EI could easily flare up again if we drop our guard and allow unrestricted movement.

“All it would take for a new outbreak is one careless person with infected horses failing to disinfect properly before attending a horse event or coming into contact with horses being moved.”

NSW equine influenza hotline: 1800 675 888

More information: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza