Import of rabbits and cats

Press, 17 June 1980, Page 18

Import of rabbits and cats

Sir, — In regard to the article (May 26) on the import of rabbits from Califor- . nia, could- we ask the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries: (a) Why are domesticated rabbits permitted to be directly imported from the United States, when cats cannot be? (b) If cats are forced to travel from the United States to the United Kingdom, do three months quarantine plus three months residency, and then . upon arrival in New Zealand, have to cope with a month’s quarantine, why are rabbits, which may have serious diseases such as rabbit fever (Tularemia), or, the dreaded rabies, not also quarantined? (c), If a cat, domiciled in . the • United States, is given an antirabies serum, why may the cat then not be. permitted, to - travel directly to New Zealand? (d) If there are other reasons for cats, not being permitted to come directly - into New Zealand from the United States, why could they not be brought in and quarantined here for threesix months, instead of having to travel here . via the United Kingdom? — Yours, etc. ■ • MRS R. SERONG, Aberavbn Cattery, .. Twizel. ' ' ' •, MRS L. D. GARBUTT, Cedarhurst Cattery, Twizel. May 27, .1980. ‘ [Mr R. L. G. Talbot, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, replies: “Answers to the questions are: (a) Domestic commercial rabbits are not, under normal conditions of management, . exposed to rabies infection. Importationsi which must originate from premises . about which the United. States veterinary authorities can be satisfied as to health status, must be accompanied by veterinary certification that no cases of rabies have been diagnosed ■ in the colony during the previous ; six . months. Rabbits are not involved in the transmission of rabies to other animals. Cats present a higher risk as- they may be exposed to infection from other animals, are capable of .transmitting the disease to other animals, and humans, and veterinary • authorities in a position to know

whether they have in fact been exposed to any infectious diseases, (b) Tularemia is a disease of the wild rabbit, but generally ' not the commercial rabbit. A veterinary certificate must accompany any importation saying that this disease has not been diagnosed in the colony of origin in the previous six months. Imported rabbits must be kept on the importer’s premises for 30 days after importation. During this time they are subject to inspection by a Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Inspector, (c) Vaccination of cats against rabies is not 100 per cent effective and cannot be relied upon to prevent the introduction of rabies, (d) Facilities do not exist to quarantine cats for the time and to the degree of security needed to prevent the introduction of diseases such as rabies. Provision of . such facilities is not economically justifiable. I would also like to.clarify a couple of points for the information of' Mesdames Serong and Garbutt. These are that any introduction, of cats direct from the United States, or any other . country where rabies exists, would result in a restriction on the free movement of animals between New Zealand and . Australia. This would inconvenience a lot of people and possiblv close an important export market. The other point is to correct an impression that only six months residency in the United Kingdom is required before cats are eligible, to be imnorted into New Zealand. In fact, it is a total of 12 months, six months in quarantine and another six months residency out of quarantine.”]