Your key EHMP responsibilities
You must:
- have a current EHMP for each relevant property;
- ensure it reflects the activities and procedures at that property;
- have it approved and signed by a registered veterinarian;
- review it every year;
- update it when activities, procedures or responsibilities change;
- complete a new veterinarian-approved EHMP every three years;
- declare the EHMP through FastTrack;
- keep it at the property and make it available when requested; and
- ensure staff, family members and helpers understand and follow the procedures relevant to them.
Without a valid EHMP, you may be in breach of the Code of Practice and face regulatory action.
Who is responsible?
Every establishment must have at least one nominated Person in Charge.
The Person in Charge is responsible for developing and maintaining the EHMP, ensuring it is implemented and followed, managing the establishment, protecting greyhound health and welfare, instructing and supervising staff and helpers, maintaining required records and ensuring appropriate veterinary arrangements are in place.
Other people may assist, but the Person in Charge remains responsible for ensuring the EHMP is current and followed.
If there is more than one Person in Charge, the EHMP must clearly identify who is responsible for each area of the property and each part of the EHMP, including shared and common areas.
One EHMP for each property
An EHMP applies to a particular property and cannot simply be transferred to another address. If active greyhounds are kept at more than one property, a separate EHMP and FastTrack declaration are required for each property.
Where several participants operate from the same property, the EHMP must cover the entire establishment and clearly allocate responsibilities. Separate EHMPs may be required where participants operate separate establishments or facilities at the same address.
What must an EHMP cover?
Your EHMP must contain written procedures, known as protocols, for the activities conducted at your property. Key areas include:
- admission, assessment, quarantine and movement of greyhounds;
- daily care, housing, feeding, exercise, enrichment and socialisation;
- health, injury, illness and veterinary care;
- vaccination, parasite prevention, dental management, supplements and injectable substances;
- hygiene, cleaning, disinfection, pest management, isolation and disease control;
- staff, family member and helper induction, responsibilities and supervision;
- risk assessments for housing, exercise and other areas;
- emergencies, evacuation and overnight monitoring;
- retirement, preparation for rehoming and transition to life as a pet; and
- any breeding, whelping, rearing, education, pre-training or training activities conducted at the property.
Only complete the protocols relevant to your property
Your EHMP only needs to contain protocols for activities that occur at the property. If an activity does not occur, record that the relevant section is not applicable.
If an activity later commences, update the EHMP before the new procedure is used. Veterinary approval may also be required where the change affects a veterinarian-approved protocol.
Using the Code requirements or your own procedures
In some areas, you may adopt the minimum requirements in the Code or document an alternative procedure in your EHMP. Where you rely on the Code requirements, state this in the EHMP.
Any alternative procedure must be clearly documented, suitable for the property and greyhounds, meet the required welfare outcomes and receive veterinary approval where required. If the EHMP does not specify an alternative procedure, the requirements in the Code apply.
Veterinary arrangements and approval
Your EHMP must be approved by a registered veterinarian initially and a new veterinarian-approved EHMP must be completed every three years. The Person in Charge and veterinarian must sign it, and the veterinarian must initial the relevant protocols.
The Person in Charge must also maintain a written agreement with at least one veterinarian covering routine assistance, emergency treatment and access to 24-hour veterinary services. If the veterinarian supporting the property changes, provide the new veterinarian with the EHMP as soon as practicable.
Annual review and three-year renewal
Every year, the Person in Charge must review the EHMP to ensure it remains current, accurate, appropriate for the property and consistent with the Code. Do not wait for the annual review if something changes.
Every three years, a new EHMP must be completed, approved and signed by a veterinarian, even if there have been no significant changes. An expired EHMP cannot be renewed simply by changing the date or adding new signatures to the old document.
Declaring your EHMP through FastTrack
After the EHMP has been completed, approved and signed, the EHMP declaration must be recorded through the FastTrack participant profile. Complete a separate declaration for each relevant property.
Only the declaration is submitted to GRV, and it must be submitted through FastTrack. Do not upload, post or email the completed EHMP to GRV. Keep it at the establishment and produce it for examination by a Steward upon request
