Import Health Standard  
 
 
Guinea Pigs from Australia  
GUIPIGIC.AUS  
. 
 
An import health standard issued under  the Biosecurity Act 1993  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  1 of 11 TITLE  
Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
COMMENCEMEN T 
This Import Health Standard  comes into force on .. 
ISSUING AUTHORITY  
This Import Health Standard  is issued under section 24A of the Biosecurity Act 1993 . 
 
Dated at Wellington this   ... day of   ......... 2014  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Howard Pharo  
Manager, Import and Export Animals  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
(acting under delegated authority of the Director General)  
A copy of the instrument of delegation may be inspected at the Director General’s office.  
 
 
Contact for further information  
Ministry for Primary Industries  (MPI)  
Standards Branch  
Animal Imports  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
Email:  animalimports@mpi.govt.nz  
 
 
 
 Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  2 of 11 Contents  Page 
Introduction  3 
Part 1:  General Requirements  5 
1.1 Application  5 
1.2 The outcome this standard is seeking to ac hieve  5 
1.3 Incorporation of material by reference  5 
1.4 Definitions  5 
1.5 Eligibility  5 
1.6 Transport  6 
1.7 Inspection and verification  6 
1.8 The documentation that must accompany goods  6 
1.9 Biosecurity clearance  7 
Part 2:  Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms  8 
2.1 Model veterinary certificate  8 
2.2 Owner declaration  9 
Schedule 1 – Definitions  10 
 
 
 Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  3 of 11 Introduction  
This introduction is not part of the Import Health Standard  (IHS) , but is intended to indicate its general effect.  
Purpose  
(1) This IHS specifies  the minimum requirements that must be met when importing  guinea pigs from 
Australia.  
Backgro und 
(1) The Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) provides the legal basis for excluding, eradicating and effectively 
managing pests and unwanted organisms.  
(2) Import  health standards  issued under the Act set out requirements to be met to effectively manage 
biosecurity risks associated with importing goods. They include requirements that must be met in the 
exporting country, during transit, and during importation, befo re biosecurity clearance can be given.  
(3) This particular IHS sets out the minimum requirements that must be met when importing guinea pigs 
(Cavia porcellus)  from Australia  into New Zealand.  
Who should read this Import Health Standard ? 
(1) This IHS applies to importers of eligible consignments of guinea pigs from Australia.  
Why is this important ? 
(1) It is the importer’s responsibility to ensure the requirements of this IHS are met. Consignments that do 
not comply with the requirements of this IHS may not be cleared for entry into New Zealand and/or 
further information may be sought from importers. Consignments that do not comply with the 
requirements of this IHS may be re -shipped or destroyed under the Act or treat ed in accordance with 
this IHS prior to release or equivalence determined. Importers are liable for all associated expenses . 
Equivalence  
(1) The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) may approve measures under section 27(1)( d) of the Act, different 
from those set out in this IHS, that may be applied to effectively manage risks associated with the 
importation of  these goods.  If an equivalent measure is approved a permit to import may be issued 
under section 24D(2) of the Act , if the Director -General considers it appropriate to do so.  
 
Guidance  
 MPI’s preference is that the exporting country’s Competent Authority makes equivalence requests. 
Equivalence requests can be lodged with animalimports@mpi.govt.nz  
 MPI may accept an alternative method, system or process that can be shown to achieve the biosecurity 
requirements of the IHS (i.e. equivalence).  
 A permit may be required where specific equivalence measures are approved by MPI as pe r the 
equivalence clause in the IHS. A permit to import serves as evidence of equivalence decisions and will 
be written as specific notes in the special conditions section of the permit.  
 Permit to import application forms can be found on the MPI website at : 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/animals/forms . 
 Completed applications are lodged with animal imports animalimports@mpi.govt .nz. 
 
 Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  4 of 11 Other information  
CITES  
(1) It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that the consignment is accompanied by a permit to 
export as required by the legislation of the country of origin and the Convention on the International 
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) http://www.cites.org .  
(2) The importer is advised to clarify the status of the species of animal in relation to international 
agreements on their trade, prior to export. Material arriving in New Zealand without the relevant CITES 
permits m ay be subject to seizure by the New Zealand Department of Conservation. [Note: Any 
requirement for CITES or other conservation -related documentation must be met by the 
exporter/importer].  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  5 of 11 Part 1:  General Requirements  
1.1 Application  
(1) Guinea pigs may be imported into New Zealand from Australia.  
1.2 The outcome this standard  is seeking to achieve  
(1) The outcome this IHS is seeking to achieve is the effective management of biosecurity risks associat ed 
with eligible consignments  of guinea pigs.  
1.3 Incorporation of material by reference  
(1) The following international standards are incorporated by reference in this IHS under section 142M of 
the Act:  
a) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live An imals Regulations (LAR): a copy is 
available for reading, free of charge, at MPI, Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace, Wellington.  
b) The Australian Marine Orders, Part 43, Issue 6 (equivalent to the New Zealand Marine Rules 
Part 24C) is available free of charge: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details?F2006L03643 . 
(2) Under section 142O(3) of the Act it is declared that section 142O(1) does not apply, that is, a notice 
under section 142O(2) of the Act is not required  to be published before material that amends or 
replaces the above listed standards, guideline or lists has legal effect as part of these documents . 
 
Guidance  
 Incorporation by reference means that standards, guidelines or lists are incorporated into the IHS and 
they form part of the requirements. This is done because technical documents are too large or 
impractical to include in the IHS.  
 Where the IHS states that section 142O(1) of the Biosecurity Act does not apply, this means that 
importers need to refe r to the most recent version of any standards, guidelines or lists that are 
incorporated by reference in the IHS.  
 
 
1.4 Definitions  
(1) Refer to Schedule 1.  
1.5 Eligibility  
(1) The guinea pigs must have been born and reared in captivity.   
(2) The guinea pigs must be ident ified with a microchip prior to export. The identification must be shown 
on the certificate accompanying the animals.  
(3) The guinea pigs must be weaned, healthy and fit to travel.  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  6 of 11 1.6 Transport  
(1) In the case of transport by:  
a) Air: the transport facilities and arrangements must meet the relevant requirements published in 
the IATA Live Animal Regulations.  
b) Sea: the transport facilities and arrangements must have been inspected and meet the 
requirements of the Australian Marine Or ders Part 43, Issue 6 (which is equivalent to the New 
Zealand Marine Rules Part 24C).  
(2) Only sterilised peat, soft board , paper, a towel  or other inert products may be used as bedding. Straw 
or hay bedding is not permitted.  
(3) Containers made of timber must mee t the requirements of the wood packaging import health standard: 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/forests/standards/non -viable -forest-produce/wood -packaging -
ihs.ht m. 
(4) The importer must notify the date, expected time  of arrival , port of arrival and the flight number or 
ship’s name to the New Zealand Official Veterinarian at the airport/port of arrival at least 5 days in 
advance of impo rtation. Please email applicable arrival point:  
a) Auckland:  mqsakav@mpi.govt.nz  
b) Wellington:  wellingtoncertification@mpi.govt.nz  
c) Christchurch:  liveanimalgroup@mpi.govt.nz  
1.7 Inspection  and verification  
(1) The following veterinary inspections are required:  
a) Pre-shipment veterinary inspection.  
 
Guidance  
 On arrival, all documentation accompanying the consignment will be veri fied by an inspector. Inspectors 
are able to inspect and verify due to their authorised powers under the Act.  
 These requirements are independent of the IHS requirements.  
 
1.8 The documentation that must accompany goods  
(1) The consignment must arrive in New Zealand with the following:   
a) Permit to import issued by MPI (copy acceptable). The importer must supply the following 
information to obtain a permit:  
i) Name and address of exporter.  
ii) Number, sex, age, species and microchip transponder identification of the an imal.  
iii) Date of proposed importation.  
iv) Name and address of importer.  
b) Veterinary certificate, that must include the following:  
i) Unique consignment identifier.  
ii) Description, species, and amount of product.  
iii) Name and address of the importer (consignee) and exporter  (consignor).  
iv) The name, signature and contact details of the Official Veterinarian.  
v) Specified requirements, outlined in Part 2 of this IHS, to be certified and endorsed by the 
Official Veterinarian.  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  7 of 11 c) Owner/exporter’s declaration.  
(2) The exporting country’s Off icial V eterinarian must certify the consignment meets all the requiremen ts 
of this IHS. Where equivalent measures have  been negotiated and agreed with MPI, a country -specific 
veterinary certificate must be certified.  
(3) All documents  must:  
a) Be origin al, unle ss otherwise stated.  
b) Accompany the imported goods.  
c) Be in English or have an English translatio n that is clear and legible.  
d) (Except the permit to import) b e endorsed on every page by the Official Veterinarian with their 
original stamp, signature and date or  be endorsed in the space allocated and all pages have 
paper based alternative security features.  
(4) Copies of all documentation must be sent to the New Zealand Official Veterinarian at the airport/port of 
arrival at least 72 hours in advance of importation. Please see clause 2.3(5) for contact details.  
1.9 Biosecurity clearance  
(1) A biosecurity clearance, under section 26 of t he Act, may be issued when the guinea pigs  meet all the 
requirements of this IHS, provided the applicable requirements of the section 27 of th e Act are met.  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  8 of 11 Part 2:  Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms  
2.1 Model veterinary certificate  
(1) Guinea pigs from Australia must meet all the specified requirements included in the following 
veterinary certificate.  
 
Country:  Australia  
Certificate referenc e number:  Import permit number:  
1. Importer name:  
Address : 
 
 2. Exporter name:  
Address:  
3. Country of destination: New Zealand  4. Country  of origin : Australia  
 
5. Description of commodity:  Species Cavia porcellus  
 
Microchip Number  Site of Microchip  Other ID  
(E.g. ARKS number)  M/F Age 
 
     
 
Official Veterinarian : 
Name:  
Address:  
Signature:  
Date:  Office Details:  
Name:  
Address  
 
 
  Official Veterinarian signature, 
Official stamp and date  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  9 of 11 Country: Australia  Certificate reference number:  
 
I,………………………………………………………………… an Official Veterinarian authorised by the Competent Authority of 
Australia, certify after due enquiry, with respect to the guinea pigs identified in this veterinary certificate, that:  
 
(1) After due enquiry I have no reason to doub t the owner/exporter’s declaration.  
 
 
Inspection and transport  
(2) The guinea pigs were identified and examined by an Official Veterinarian in the 24 hours prior to  shipment , and w ere free from 
clinical evidence of infectious disease, plant and seed contaminat ion, and appeared to be fit to travel.  
(3) During transport to the port of departure and during transit to New Zealand, all bedding provided will be free from evidence of 
contamination with ticks and weeds/weed seeds.  
(4) If shipped by air, the animals will be shi pped in accordance with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal 
Regulations; if shipped by sea, the animals will be shipped in accordance with the Australian Marine Orders Part 43, Issue 6.  
(5) The crates or pens to be used for transporting the animals to New Zealand are either new or if previously used will be cleaned 
and disinfected with an approved disinfectant.  
 
Official Veterinarian:  
Name:  
Address:  
Signature:  
Date:  Office Details:  
Name:  
Address  
 
2.2 Owner declaration  
 
I,………………………………………………………………… being the owner/exporter of the animals identified in the veterinary 
certificate certify that:  
 
(1) The guinea pigs described in  the veterinary certificate were born and reared  in captivity  
(2) The  guinea pigs described in the veterinary certificate have been fed a high quality diet free of weed seeds for 3 days prio r to 
export  
 
Name : ……………………………………………………………………………………....................  
Address:  …………………………………………………………………………………… ................  
Signature of owner/ export er:…………………………………………………………………………  
Date:……………………………………………………………………………………………………..  
 
 Official Veterinarian signature, 
Official stamp and date  Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  10 of 11 Schedule  1 – Definitions  
(1) For the purposes of this standard and the attached guidance document, terms used that are defined in 
the Ac t have the meanings set out there. The Act is available at the following website: 
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/  
Biosecurity Clearance  
A clearance under section 26 of the Act for the entry of goods into New Ze aland.  
(Explanatory Note: Goods given a Biosecurity Clearance by an Inspector are released to the importer without 
restriction) . 
Competent Authority  
The Veterinary or other Governmental Authority of an OIE Member, that has the responsibility and 
competenc e for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, 
international veterinary certification and other standards and recommendations in the Code  in the whole 
territory . 
Director -General  
The chief executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries .  
IATA  
The International Air Transport Association .  
Inspector  
A person who is appointed an inspector under section 103 of the Act.  
(Explanatory Note: An Inspector is appointed to undertake administering and enforcing the provisions  of the 
Act and controls imposed under the Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act 1996, and the Convention 
on the International Trade in Endangered Species  
MPI 
Ministry for Primary Industries .  
Official Veterinarian  
A veterinarian authorised by the Comp etent Authority of the country to perform certain designated official 
tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and inspections of commodities and, when 
appropriate, to certify in conformity with the provisions of the OIE Code  Chapter for ce rtification procedures . 
OIE 
The World Organisation for Animal Health . 
OIE Code  
The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Any reference in this standard to 
the OIE Code  is to the most current as found on the OIE website  
Permit to Import  
A written order issued by the Director General of MPI under section 24 (D)(2) of the Act. 
 Import Health Standard :  Guinea Pigs from Australia  
 Draft  for Consultation  . 
Ministry for Primary Industries    Page  11 of 11 Veterinary Certificate  
A certificate, issued in conformity with the provisions of the OIE Code  Chapter for certification procedures, 
describing the animal health and/or public health requirements which are fulfilled by the exported 
commodities .