An international airline has entered an enforceable undertaking with the Australian Government after it failed to declare two dogs' arrival to the country, breaching Australian biosecurity measures.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, which has regulatory powers for Australia's biosecurity as part of the Biosecurity Act 2015, found United Airlines had breached its reporting requirements twice, once in Brisbane in March 2024 and in Sydney December 2022, for failing to report a dog's arrival by plane to Australia.
The dogs were assessed and managed by the department's veterinary officers to ensure they met biosecurity requirements, including quarantine.
The US-based airline also failed to meet prescribed disinsection measures, which include procedures to control or kill the insect vectors of human diseases and agricultural pests or other insects and did not provide biosecurity officers with information when requested, both in August 2023.
The department's response in managing the dogs and acting on the airline's other failures to comply with pre-arrival reporting obligations ensured the continued protection of Australia's biosecurity.
In August this year, the airline voluntarily agreed to meet a number of requirements over the next 15 months and will be monitored by the department. These include revising their internal processes, systems, and training.
The enforceable undertaking is one of the tools used by the department to ensure Australia's robust biosecurity requirements are met.
Enforceable undertakings are voluntary, binding agreements which are enforceable in a court. Other compliance measures which can be used include infringement notices, civil penalty orders, injunctions and criminal sanctions.
If the airline does not comply, the Federal Court may take measures including directing compliance with the enforceable arrangement or imposing a fine or damages.
For more information about compliance tools under the Biosecurity Act (2015), visit Compliance and enforcement tools - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)
Quotes attributable to Deputy Secretary for Biosecurity, Justine Saunders :
"Our goal is to protect Australia from exotic pests and diseases. Enforceable undertakings help us ensure long-term compliance with biosecurity requirements in a collaborative and more cost-effective manner that avoids lengthy court proceedings.
"The unchecked importation of live animals into Australia poses an unacceptable biosecurity risk.
"Australia is currently free of many exotic pests and diseases such as rabies, which can be transmitted from dogs to humans. The entry, spread and establishment of rabies would have devastating impacts in Australia."