Can You Import Horses Into Australia?

​Live horses can be imported into Australia from selected department approved countries only. To bring horses to Australia, they must meet all of the department’s import conditions prior to export. The Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) provides the import conditions for all permitted live horse imports.

How much does it cost to import a horse to Australia?

The cost to transport your mare from America to Australia is approximately between AU$30,000 – $40,000. Charges from your horse transport company will include pre and post-arrival quarantine and veterinary requirements as well as air freight and staffing costs.

How long do horses have to quarantine in Australia?

14 days
Introduction. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment requires all horses imported into Australia from approved countries other than New Zealand and New Caledonia to complete a minimum of 14 days post-arrival quarantine at the government’s biosecurity facility in Mickleham, Victoria.

Can horses be imported?

USDA regulations for importing equines can be found on their Veterinary Services, Import/Export website. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires various periods of quarantine depending on the country of origin of the horse.

How much does it cost to transport a horse from UK to Australia?

The stalls take up to three horses (it costs roughly £14,350 per horse to fly to Australia, including quarantine, vet and transfers fees), but clients can pay 35% more for “business class” (two horses per stall) or “first class” (single horse, 70% more), for instance for stallions or racehorses running in the Melbourne

How long do imported horses have to quarantine?

The horse needs to stay in quarantine for 30 days in any USDA approved facility. The horse needs to be vaccinated against EEE & WEE (Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis) not less than 30 days but not more than 180 days prior to export.

How do horses get to Australia?

Horses first arrived in Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet. They were imported for farm and utility work; recreational riding and racing were not major activities. By 1800, only about 200 horses are thought to have reached Australia.

How much does horse quarantine cost?

Generally, horses must be isolated 30 days before the flight. The United States requires the isolation facility to be approved, and there is an associated fee, usually ranging between $1,000.00-$3,000.00.

Can I fly with my horse?

Horses cannot travel in the usual planes that you and I would travel in – they have to travel in cargo planes, and not all cargo planes can carry horses – so moving from A to B is not as simple as it is for humans.

How much is it to import a horse?

between $7500 and $12,000
Stallions and mares will require additional quarantine, costing another $1400 or more plus transport to the long-term quarantine center. Overall, importing a horse costs between $7500 and $12,000. What about quarantine?

Do you pay tax when you buy a horse?

Because horses are tangible personal property, sales or use tax will apply unless there is an applicable exemption. Note that “sales for resale” are specifically excluded from taxable sales and thus are exempt.

Can horses be shipped?

Horses are regularly shipped by ship, airplane and train. Most often, however, they are transported by trailers attached to vehicles. Shipping and transporting are often used interchangeably, but there is a major difference, especially to your horse.

Which country is largest importer of live horses for slaughter?

China (~20%) and Italy (~19%) were the two highest importers of horse meat. From 2013 to 2017 there was a 7.1% increase in the quantity of horse meat imported for the top 10 importing countries in the world. This amounts to a total of 7,238 tonnes or ~ 16 million lb.

What airlines fly horses?

Fed Ex, UPS and large commercial airlines ship horses and other animals as cargo, but Tex Sutton — as the company is commonly known — began ferrying Kentucky Derby winners and other prized horses by air in 1969 and remains the only U.S.-based horse transportation company that uses a dedicated aircraft to do so.

Do you need a passport to transport a horse?

Do all horses need an equine passport? Yes. Horses, ponies, donkeys, mules and zebras must have an equine passport, even if they never leave their field.

Are horses sedated for air travel?

Despite what some might think, most competition horses are very good flyers – some even nap on the flight! However, horses are not sedated as they need to remain alert enough to balance on all fours.

How long can you travel with a horse without stopping?

Horses are fine for up to 9 hours in a trailer as long as they have food and water, and unloading during the trip just adds to your end time considerably. Rather, get to where you are going and let them –and you- have a long rest.

Can you cross the border on a horse?

In all cases you must have a current international health certificate (valid for 30 and a current Equine Infectious Anemia (Coggins) test (valid for six months) for each horse entering Canada. Both Canada and the US have regulations governing the movement of horses across the shared border.

How long can horses be transported for?

In an approved vehicle horses may be transported for 24 hours, as long as they are given liquid and (if necessary) fed at eight-hour intervals. At the end of the 24-hour period of transport, horses must be unloaded, fed, watered and rested for at least 24 hours.

Are any horses native to Australia?

Australia isn’t home to any native hard-hoofed mammals, and feral horses can cause immense ecological damage as a result – particularly in the fragile high country of the Australian Alps, including Alpine and Kosciuszko national parks.

Is horse meat eaten in Australia?

Australia. Australians do not generally eat horse meat, although they have a horse slaughter industry that exports to EU countries.