Compulsory Registration, Microchipping and Passports for Horses

I demand that the State and Local Government's of Australia implement compulsory micro-chipping and registration of all horses in their state, linked in to a national database. There must also be a passport system based on the one used in the European Union to monitor what diseases and drugs a horse has been exposed to.
This idea has been recommended by the Senate Standing committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport in 2008 on the Horse Disease Response Levy ...a compulsory registration for all horses together with the establishment of a national register would greatly enhance the ability of animal health agencies to respond in the case of an emergency (such as Equine Influenza).

Other benefits of compulsory micro-chipping, registration and passports for horses include

* Ensure that jobs and substantial revenue are protected in the horse industry by protecting against another disease outbreak. The horse industry employs directly and indirectly hundreds of thousands of people, and with revenue estimated over $8 billion annually is the 4th largest industry in Australia behind mining, tourism and hospitality.
* Ensure that the likelihood of another Equine Influenza like outbreak is minimised by having the means to take appropriate and immediate steps to activate disease eradication efforts.
* Identification of horses and location of their owners in cases of horse theft.
* Identification of horses and location of their owners in cases that horses have escaped and are found by authorities.
* Identification of horses and location of their owners in cases of neglect/abuse.
* Ensuring that horses slaughtered for export and human consumption overseas are free from disease and drugs that may be unsuitable for human consumption. This is the reason the EU passport system was implemented.
* Ensure that horses that are being sold are the legal property of their owners.
* Enable accurate information on the actual number of horses in Australia, and the numbers that are being slaughtered.
* Ensure that this accurate information on horse numbers can be used to guide policy on sustainable numbers of horses in Australia.
* Ensure accurate information about horses history is available to registered breeders.

The majority of horse bodies in Australia support compulsory micro-chipping and registration of horses.
Cats and dogs are required to be registered. Horses must be registered as well.