Product Overview

Summary: This Zoo Quarantine Procedures Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, step-by-step requirements for safely receiving, isolating, monitoring and releasing animals in Australian zoo environments. It supports compliance with WHS, biosecurity and animal welfare obligations, protecting staff, visitors, collection animals and the broader environment from infectious disease and quarantine breaches.

Zoo quarantine is a critical control point for preventing the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, parasites and zoonoses within animal collections and to staff and visitors. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured framework for managing all aspects of the quarantine process, from pre-arrival risk assessment and transport handover through to isolation, daily health monitoring, testing, treatment, and final clearance or escalation. It is designed for Australian zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums that must navigate overlapping WHS, biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental regulations.

The procedure addresses the practical realities of operating quarantine facilities in a working zoo: managing staff access and PPE, handling high-risk species, maintaining strict separation between quarantine and collection animals, and dealing with waste, sharps, bedding and contaminated equipment. It gives managers a defensible system for demonstrating due diligence, while giving keepers and veterinary staff clear, consistent instructions that reduce ambiguity and unsafe shortcuts. By implementing this SOP, organisations can minimise infection risks, protect staff from zoonotic disease exposure, and maintain public confidence in the safety and professionalism of their operations.

For businesses that regularly import, transfer or rescue animals, this SOP also helps streamline coordination with government biosecurity authorities, standardise documentation and record-keeping, and provide clear triggers for escalation during suspected disease events. The result is a safer workplace, healthier animal collection and a quarantine system that stands up to internal audits, regulator inspections and accreditation reviews.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, legally defensible quarantine practices across all zoo and wildlife park operations.
• Reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission to staff, contractors and visitors.
• Protect collection animals from introduced pathogens and parasites during transfers, imports and rescues.
• Streamline communication and documentation with veterinary teams and biosecurity regulators.
• Support staff training, competency assessment and continuous improvement in quarantine management.

Who is this for?

• Zoo Curators
• Quarantine Officers (Zoo and Wildlife Parks)
• Veterinary Directors and Zoo Veterinarians
• Animal Collection Managers
• Biosecurity and Compliance Managers
• WHS Managers and Coordinators
• Animal Keepers and Senior Keepers
• Wildlife Park Managers
• Operations Managers (Zoos and Aquariums)
• Emergency Response Coordinators (Zoo Facilities)

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to zoonotic diseases (e.g. salmonellosis, Q fever, psittacosis, tuberculosis, avian influenza)
• Bites, scratches and other animal handling injuries during intake and health checks
• Exposure to biological contaminants via blood, faeces, urine and other body fluids
• Cross-contamination between quarantine and resident animal populations
• Allergic reactions and respiratory irritation from animal dander, bedding and disinfectants
• Sharps injuries during vaccination, microchipping and sample collection
• Chemical exposure from disinfectants, detergents and veterinary pharmaceuticals
• Manual handling injuries from moving crates, cages and feed supplies
• Psychological stress and fatigue in staff working in high-risk or high-consequence environments

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Authority
• 4.0 Regulatory and Standards Framework
• 5.0 Quarantine Risk Assessment and Planning
• 6.0 Quarantine Facility Requirements and Zoning
• 7.0 Biosecurity Controls and Access Management
• 8.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 9.0 Animal Intake, Transport Handover and Initial Triage
• 10.0 Isolation, Housing and Environmental Controls
• 11.0 Daily Care, Feeding and Enrichment in Quarantine
• 12.0 Veterinary Examination, Testing and Treatment Protocols
• 13.0 Infection Prevention, Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
• 14.0 Waste, Laundry and Sharps Management
• 15.0 Record Keeping, Identification and Traceability
• 16.0 Criteria and Process for Quarantine Clearance and Release
• 17.0 Management of Suspected or Confirmed Disease Cases
• 18.0 Incident Reporting, Exposure Management and Post-Exposure Follow-up
• 19.0 Training, Competency and Induction Requirements
• 20.0 Monitoring, Audit, Review and Continuous Improvement
• 21.0 Emergency Response and Outbreak Management
• 22.0 Document Control and Version History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and harmonised state and territory WHS legislation
• Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth)
• Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Exhibited Animals
• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Zoos (where adopted by jurisdiction)
• AS/NZS 2243.3: Safety in laboratories – Microbiological safety and containment (as guidance for containment principles)
• AS/NZS 3816: Management of clinical and related wastes
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 2161: Occupational protective gloves – Selection, use and maintenance
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice