Biosecurity Guidelines for Animal Shows/ Events

​​​​​​​​​​​​Animal shows and events present biosecurity risks including those associated with the mixing animals of different species, different sources and with varying degrees of exposure to the public. There may be conditions of entry that mitigate some biosecurity risks such as health accreditations, vaccination status and reporting suspicion of disease promptly to the on-site veterinarian or steward. Adherence to general hygiene principles is also very important. 

The following guidelines may assist organisers and attendees in assessing and mitigating biosecurity risks associated with shows and events.

Biosecurity Guidelines for Horse Events

• Organisers should be willing, able and have the means to report suspect disease to the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline on 1800 675 888 immediately they are aware of it.

• Collection of tracing information on horses can be achieved by participants completing a Horse Event Declaration ('Tracing Log') with essential information required.
  

• As a condition of entry, all gear and vehicles should be clean (with the exception of road dust) and presented for inspection by event officials. Vehicles and gear should be cleaned on return to home before being used again.
  

• Attendees shoul​​d be cautioned not to share gear or other equipment including water buckets and hay nets.​

• Any horse becoming sick must be immediately reported to stewards or officials. If an emergency disease such as equine influenza (horse flu) is suspected, it must be immediately reported to the EAD Hotline on 1800 675 888 - this is everybody's responsibility.

• For the duration of the event, a vet should be either on site or the event organiser should have the contact details for a vet within easy distance to enable a timely examination of sick horses.​​
  

• For more information go to the our​​​ ​Horse Welfare and Diseases webpage.
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Biosecurity Guidelines for Poultry/Bird Shows 

The following guidelines are not compulsory but are highly recommended for any bird show.

• Show organisers should keep different species separate wherever possible. In particular, waterfowl should not be displayed near pigeons, poultry or other birds.
  

• Show organisers should have a vet in attendance or contactable by phone during the show.
  

• Judges should wash and, ideally, disinfect their hands between handling birds.
  

• Exhibitors should not take any bird to a show if it looks ill.
  

• Any bird becoming sick must be immediately reported to stewards or officials. If an emergency disease such as ​​avi​an influenza (bird flu)​ is suspected, it must be immediately reported to the EAD Hotline on 1800 675 888 - this is everybody's responsibility.
  

• Exhibitors should avoid handling birds other than their own, but if they do they should wash their hands in between handling birds.
  

• Exhibitors should clean and disinfect all equipment and containers before and after the show and should also ensure their show birds are kept separate from the rest of their flock for a while before they are put back in the flock.
  

• For more information go our Information for bird owners​​ webpage
  

• Refer to the manual and logbooks for poultry show organisers and exhibitors​ as a useful guide