Reporting an Exotic Pest or Disease
What to do and what to expect if you think you've found an exotic pest or disease that hasn't been found here before?
If your horse is ill then in the first instance, call your veterinarian who will call the Ministry of Primary Industries pest and disease hotline number if they cannot exclude that the horse is infected with an exotic disease.
The following diseases are required to be notified to MPI:
Equine influenza
Contagious equine metritis
Equine infectious anaemia
Equine viral arteritis
African horse sickness
Glanders
Equine encephalitis viruses (various forms)
Epizootic lymphangitis
Equine piroplasmosis.
Pest and disease hotline – 0800 80 99 66
If it is a pest photograph it and catch it, if it's safe to do so. Photos will help the specialist interpret your finding.
To ensure the photo is as useful as possible make sure you place the finding against a white background include a common object for scale (such as a 10 cent piece) use the default settings on your phone's camera don't zoom in or add filters.
What to expect when you phone the hotline.
Our call centre staff will answer your call, record your contact details and details of your finding and pass your details to a specialist. The specialist will contact you to discuss your finding and may ask you to send in photos.
Why we need you to report any new pests and diseases.
Early detection of harmful new pests and diseases is a vital part of our biosecurity system. Every New Zealander has a responsibility to be vigilant for and report suspected new organisms.
We need you to be extra vigilant when coming home from overseas or opening international mail because these are common pathways for unwanted pests to enter New Zealand.
MPI has a dedicated team of specialists to investigate and respond to all suspicious findings.
It's the law.
New Zealanders are expected to report unusual organisms to MPI. Unusual organisms are those that appear to be something not normally seen in New Zealand.
Refer to section 44 of the Biosecurity Act – NZ Legislation website
Notifiable organisms are those that could seriously harm New Zealand's primary production or our trade and market access. If you spot a notifiable organism, you have a legal obligation under the Biosecurity Act 1993 to tell MPI. If you think you've spotted one, call the pests-and-diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
Refer to section 46 of the Biosecurity Act – NZ Legislation website Search the unwanted organisms database for notifiable organisms
Learn more about finding and identifying plants, bugs, and pests
To make notification of an organism obligatory, that organism has to be made notifiable under the Biosecurity Act 1993. Unwanted organisms only become notifiable organisms once they are included in an Order in Council pursuant to section 45 of the Biosecurity Act. The list of notifiable organisms (issued in 2006) was reviewed in 2009/2010, and replaced by the Biosecurity (Notifiable Organisms) Order 2010.