H5N1 avian influenza

Wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers play an important role in responding to wild animals in need.

As frontline responders, wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers may encounter species that are at risk of having H5 bird flu. Handling sick wildlife carries a level of risk and requires careful consideration of your personal safety and biosecurity requirements. Before responding to any sick wildlife, assess your own level of risk and confidence in meeting the required biosecurity protocols. There is no obligation for anyone to handle sick wildlife.

If you encounter sick or dead wildlife that may be affected by H5 bird flu, contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (EAD) on 1800 675 888. This will ensure the animal is responded to and tested where appropriate.

Before collecting or transporting wildlife that may have H5 bird flu, confirm that a veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator with appropriate quarantine facilities is available to receive the animal.

To support wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers, the following guidance document has been developed, outlining how to safely manage the risks associated with handling at-risk wildlife, minimise the potential spread of H5 bird flu, and protect personal health and safety. Access the guidance document at the link below:

As advice and requirements may change as the situation changes, it is important that you stay up to date with the latest information. You can do this by subscribing to the Together for Wildlife mailing list. You can learn more about Together for Wildlife on the 'Wildlife welfare initiatives' webpage, or subscribe to the mailing list by completing this registration form.

If H5 bird flu is detected in your wildlife shelter or foster carer premises, the Department will work with you on next steps, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Currently, wildlife with H5 bird flu do not need to be immediately euthanised unless necessary for animal welfare reasons. However, the prognosis for animals with H5 is generally poor. There is no effective treatment, and those that survive are usually in poor condition which affects survival likelihood on release. If the infected animal has good prospects of recovery, it may be treated, although your premises will likely need to remain under quarantine until all animals are testing negative for H5 bird flu.

Your wildlife rehabilitator conditions are more important than ever, including:

• Keeping good records allows epidemiological tracing if there is an outbreak. Record species, date, location found, summary of injuries/condition, cause of injury/condition if known, transfer history, fate, and release location and date.
• Keeping any wildlife that comes into your care physically separated from domestic animals, as well as any wildlife. Some domestic mammals have been reported as infected with H5 bird flu, including cats and dogs.

Further information on wildlife rehabilitator conditions can be accessed on the Conservation Regulator's 'Authorising conditions' webpage.

People who keep, breed, trade, or transport wildlife should be aware of the risks associated with handling species that may be susceptible to H5 bird flu. H5 bird flu mainly affects birds, and spreads through direct contact with infected animals (dead or alive), faeces, or infected environments.

Pet birds (including birds kept in outdoor aviaries) and other domestic animals (such as cats, dogs, chickens and ducks) can get sick if they eat or interact with infected animals.

To help protect wildlife and curb the spread of disease:

• Prevent wild birds from coming into contact with your pet birds and accessing their feed and water
• Maintain a high standard of hygiene within wildlife housing, and do not overcrowd enclosures. Build-up of faeces or uneaten food can harbour disease and may also attract wildlife or introduced pests to enclosures, increasing the risk of disease contact.
• It is recommended that any newly acquired birds are quarantined for at least 7 days. You must notify the Conservation Regulator by email within 24 hours of becoming aware of the death or illness of any bird you have imported into Victoria within the previous 14 days.
• Monitor your birds for signs of disease or sudden deaths.
• If you’ve had direct contact with sick or dead birds, shower and change clothes before handling your wildlife or their food and water dishes.
• Record and report unusual signs of disease and increased deaths in your birds to the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline on 1800 675 888.
• Avoid handling the animal unless necessary and seek advice from a veterinarian based on the information provided by the EAD hotline.
• Before seeking any vet care, call the vet clinic and advise them that the animal is showing signs of H5 bird flu so they can ensure appropriate advice and/or biosecurity controls before attendance.
• If captive wildlife display signs of H5 bird flu, remove the suspected sick wildlife from any shared enclosure or housing area into a separate quarantine space.
• To protect human health, interaction with sick wildlife should only be undertaken when using personal protective equipment such as disposable gloves, respiratory protection (for example a P2 face mask), and protective, washable footwear, and machine wash clothing on a hot cycle using standard laundry detergent.
• Clean the enclosure of origin with hot soapy water, especially if the enclosure is shared. You can also use disinfectants that are safe for use around animals such as Safe4®, F10® and Virkon. Make sure sick or dead birds on your property cannot be accessed by predatory or scavenger species, captive wildlife, or domestic pets.
• While the risk of dogs and cats becoming infected with H5 bird flu is extremely low, pet owners should always take extra precaution not to let pets eat or touch sick or dead animals.
• If your pet gets sick after interacting with wild birds, keep them away from children and other animals and contact your vet.

If H5 bird flu is detected in your collection, the Department will work with you on next steps, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

H5 bird flu is a notifiable exotic disease under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, which means any confirmed or suspected infection must be declared to DEECA.

H5 bird flu is one notifiable disease among many that may impact wildlife (for example Chytrid fungus, Lyssavirus, Psittacosis or ‘parrot fever’).

The easiest way to notify a suspected or confirmed notifiable disease is to call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888(opens in a new window) (24 hours a day, every day of the year). For information about notifiable diseases, visit Agriculture Victoria's 'Notifiable diseases' webpage.

• If you see sick or dead birds or other animals, do not touch them.
• Avoid contact. Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 from anywhere in Australia.
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands and utensils after handling animals, eggs or raw meat. For further guidance about preventing spread, visit the Australia Centre for Disease Control's bird flu webpage.