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AVA clinical veterinary internship guidelines
Policy Internships should be structured training programs designed to provide mentored, experiential clinical training for veterinarians seeking to advance their competence and prepare for membership, residency, advanced specialty training or
Exotic pet and wildlife trade
Purpose This document is intended to raise awareness of biodiversity, biosecurity and welfare risks associated with the legal and illegal trade in wildlife. This policy is mainly focused on the
Forced Swim Test and Forced Smoke Inhalation Experiments
Purpose To advocate for cessation of forced swim tests and nose-only forced smoke inhalation experiments, and for a phase-out of whole body smoke inhalation experiments as soon as possible. Policy
Post-racing transition and retraining: Ensuring effective aftercare for retired horses
Purpose This policy aims to provide guidance for the transition of horses from racing to optimise both the horse’s welfare and human health and safety. This policy can be used
High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in pet birds, backyard poultry and wild birds
Purpose This policy provides a basis for advocacy to governments about HPAI preparedness and response strategies impacting private veterinary practitioners who work with aviculture, pet birds, backyard poultry and wild
Contextualised care
Purpose To guide members and advocate for education and delivery of contextualised veterinary care, promoting collaborative approaches that improve animal welfare, client satisfaction, and veterinary team wellbeing (Corrigan et al.,
Enhancing veterinary care through veterinary social services
Purpose This position statement aims to educate the veterinary sector, government, industry stakeholders, and the public about the emerging field of veterinary social services and the role of Human-Animal Bond
Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE)
Technical update 29 September 2022 Policy Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) should be considered by the Animal Health Committee for classification nationally as a notifiable disease. A single national eradication strategy
Castration of adult rams
Policy The castration of adult rams must be treated as a major surgical procedure and be performed only by a veterinarian. Appropriate perioperative care including analgesia must be provided. Background
Johne’s disease
Position statement The objectives and activities of the National Johne’s Disease Control Program are important in ongoing efforts to contain and control the spread of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis on Australian farms.
Laparoscopic artificial insemination in small ruminants
Policy Laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI) in sheep, goats and other small ruminants is supported provided that appropriate surgical standards and animal welfare requirements are met. Laparoscopic AI requires surgical entry
Pizzle dropping
Policy Pizzle dropping must not be performed on sheep. Background Pizzle dropping is a surgical procedure performed on wether lambs and weaners (under 12 months of age). The skin between
Sheep dentistry, including tooth trimming
Policy Tooth trimming, tooth clipping or tooth grinding in sheep is opposed as these procedures have been shown scientifically to have no benefit to the welfare or productivity of the
Surgical mulesing
Position statement Blowfly strike is a serious animal welfare concern. Alternative methods of fly strike management and blowfly control that do not involve surgical removal of skin from the breech
Myxomatosis vaccination of pet rabbits
Position Statement Steps should be taken to introduce a safe and effective myxomatosis vaccination program to protect the health of pet rabbits while not impacting unfavourably upon the control of