The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued the guidelines on the importation of live rabbits for breeding in the Philippines.
This is following the increased interest by local growers in raising rabbits for meat production due to the ease in propagation and minimal production costs as well as the growing acceptance of the meat as an alternative to traditional meat.
The circular signed on June 2, 2022 will prevent the introduction of transboundary animal diseases and contains the requirements for sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.
Importers of rabbits must be authorized as a live rabbit importer by the Bureau of Animal Industry’s National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division.
The source country should also be free of rabbit hemorrhagic disease, myxomatosis and tuleramia for the last 12 months as reported to the World Organization for Animal Health.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated rabbits can be shipped provided they follow health protocols and are treated for internal and external parasites within 30 days of exportation. They should be at least 60 days-old and are not pregnant.
During transport, no rabbits from another country are permitted aboard the vessel or aircraft and no feeds other than from the country of origin are taken aboard as well.
Importers of rabbits who violate these provisions will be penalized with administrative sanctions ranging from the confiscation or disposal; suspension of accreditation for two years; and being held accountable to damages to local stocks if an outbreak of disease from imported stocks occur, among others.
Rabbit meat is not included in the local production data of livestock being collected by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
