Specified equine contagious diseases and conditions
We all have an obligation under Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014 to report and manage any biosecurity risks that are under our control, which we know about, or should reasonably expect to know about.
Further, as required by the Australian Harness Racing Rules, under AHRR 90A (2.10) Trainer’s Licence:
A trainer is at all times responsible for the care, control and supervision of the horses in their stables.
A trainer is at all times responsible for the administration and conduct of their stables.
The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (the Commission) seeks to provide participants with a list of contagious equine diseases and conditions, as per AHRR 104 ‘Notification of disease or death’:
If a horse contracts or is suffering any contagious disease or condition specified by the Controlling Body, the connections of the horse must be immediately and in any event within 24 hours of the horse being diagnosed as suffering from the disease or condition, notify the Controlling Body in writing of that fact.
A person who fails to comply with sub rule (1) is guilty of an offence.
Action under sub rule (3) may include ordering the destruction of the horse.
The Controlling Body may take such action with regard to the horse as it may determine.
The Commission, as a Controlling Body, specifies the following diseases or conditions as reportable:
- African horse sickness
- Borna disease
- Contagious equine metritis
- Dourine
- Epizootic lymphangitis
- Equine encephalomyelitis (Eastern and Western)
- Equine encephalomyelitis (Venezuelan)
- Equine encephalosis
- Equine herpes-virus 1 (abortigenic and neurological strains)
- Equine infectious anaemia
- Equine influenza
- Equine piroplasmosis (babesiosis)
- Equine viral arteritis
- Getah virus
- Glanders
- Hendra virus
- Japanese encephalitis
- Potomac fever
- Screw-worm fly – New World (Cochliomyia hominivorax)
- Screw-worm fly – Old World (Chrysomyia bezziana)
- Strangles
- Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
- Trichinellosis
- Warble fly myiasis
- West Nile virus infection
The Commission reminds participants that for any disease declared to be a ‘notifiable disease’ as outlined by the Queensland Government’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, they must contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888. In reference to the above list, the notifiable diseases include every disease on the list with the exception of the disease ‘Strangles’.
If your animal is infected with any of the diseases specified above, you must also contact Commission stewards immediately or within 24 hours, as per AHHR 104(1), on 1300 087 021, or email stewards@qric.qld.gov.au or HarnessStewards@qric.qld.gov.au. You must notify stewards even if you have already contacted Biosecurity Queensland as part of your biosecurity obligations.
Once you have notified the stewards, you must comply with their directions in relation to the quarantine of an animal, movement restrictions, and animal welfare. Failure to do so may result in a breach of the Australian Harness Racing Rules.