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SB8.1 Time off water must not exceed the time periods given below:

Replace with:.
SB8.1 Time off water must not exceed the time periods given below:

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SB8.2 Journey time may be extended for horses to 36 hours only under the following conditions:
i) horses must be watered and fed on the vehicle every 5 hours
ii) horses are not exposed to the natural elements
iii) there must be sufficient space of 700 mm wide and 2350 mm long per stall
iv) flooring must be suitable
v) regular assessments must be made that the horses are fit for the remainder of the intended journey
v) horses must be spelled for 24 hours before starting another journey.

acceptable

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SB8.3 If horses have been off water for 24 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.
If lactating mares, foals and pregnant mares known to be more than 7.5 months pregnant excluding the last 4 weeks, have been off water for 12 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.

Replace with:
SB8.3 If horses have been off water for 24 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.
If lactating mares, foals and pregnant mares more than 7.5 months pregnant excluding the last 4 weeks, have been off water for 12 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.

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SB8.4 Mares known to be in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy must be transported under veterinary advice unless the journey is less than 4 hours.

Animals in late pregnancy should not be transported. The old COP suggested this and yet industry wants to have the freedom to transport at will regardless of the potential for suffering and or cruelty. ‘Known to be’ is not good enough.

Replace with:
SB8.4 Mares in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy must not be transported.
The navel must be healed on foals before transport.

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SB8.5 Horses kept in yards for more than 12 hours or that will be transported for more than 12 hours must be provided with water and feed and space to lie down before loading.

How much water and feed should be provided?

Replace with:
SB8.5 Horses kept in yards for more than 12 hours or that will be transported for more than 12 hours must be provided with plenty of water and feed and space to lie down before loading.

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SB8.6 Foals and young horses being transported for more than 5 hours must have sufficient space to suckle and lie down.

Acceptable

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SB8.7 Moderate to severely lame horses of lameness score 4 and 5 (as specified in Table B8.2) must not be transported unless veterinary advice is obtained.

Again, the vet ‘advice’ lets the consignor off the hook.

Replace with:
SB8.7 Moderate to severely lame horses of lameness score 4 and 5 (as specified in Table B8.2) must not be transported unless written veterinary authorisation is obtained.

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SB8.8 All vehicles must be constructed in a way that ensures each horse stall or pen can be accessed easily for feeding, watering and visual inspection. All vehicles must contain nonslip flooring and walls of sufficient strength to withstand horse activity.

Acceptable.

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SB8.9 Fully enclosed, environmentally controlled vehicles must have effective ventilation, with fans and other equipment providing at least 12 air changes per hour.

Acceptable

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SB8.10 A vertical clearance of a minimum 2 m between the livestock crate floor and overhead structures must be provided in any vehicle used for horse transport to ensure head room clearence

Needs definition.

Replace with:
SB8.10 A vertical clearance of a minimum 2 m between the livestock crate floor and overhead structures must be provided in any vehicle used for horse transport to ensure head room clearance

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SB8.11 Unbroken stallions must be segregated from other horse categories

Stallions unbroken or not can fight other horses if there are two stallions mixed with females.

Replace with:
SB8.11 Stallions, unbroken horses, pregnant mares, mares with foals at foot and animals that have health conditions must be segregated.

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SB8.12 Electric prodders must not be used on horses.

Acceptable

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SB8.13 Dogs must not be used to move horses in livestock handling facilities.

Why just in livestock handling facilities? Unmuzzled dogs should not work horses at all as horses are flighty animals and prone to injury similar to deer.

Replace with:
SB8.13 Unmuzzled dogs must not be used to move horses.

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SB8.14 Horses travelling across Bass Strait must be individually stalled except mares with foals at foot which must be stalled together.

Acceptable

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SB8.15 The approved methods for humane destruction of horses are:
(i) horses over 6 months old, a firearm aimed in the frontal position or lethal injection
(ii) foals under 6 months old, A firearm aimed in the frontal position or lethal injection.

Acceptable