Spot something unusual in animals? Reporting it early can stop disease spread.

Call the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline — 1800 675 888.

What is the EAD Hotline

The EAD Hotline is a national, free number that anyone can use to report suspected emergency animal diseases (EADs).

When you call the hotline, you’re automatically connected to your local animal health authority, who monitor calls 24/7.

Trained staff assess the information you provide, including the signs, location and risk, and decide if further investigation is needed. This can include property visits, sample collection and laboratory testing to confirm or rule out EADs.

Thankfully, only a small number of reports lead to confirmed disease cases — but ruling out threats is just as important for our wildlife, agriculture and trade.

How to report avian influenza

In June 2026, H5 bird flu was detected in Western Australia. This is the first time the globally circulating H5 bird flu strain has been found in Australia. Communities are encouraged to report sick or dead birds or marine mammals.

If you see sick or dead animals:

• do not touch them  
• avoid contact
• record what you see, including photographs if safe to do so
• report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Why reporting early matters

EADs can spread quickly and have serious impacts on animal health, farm businesses, trade and wildlife.

The EAD Hotline helps Australia detect and respond to these diseases as quickly as possible. A single report can trigger an investigation that enables early containment, protects unaffected areas, reduces disruption to industry and strengthens national surveillance.

When to call

Call the EAD Hotline if you notice something unusual or unexpected in animals. Common warning signs can include:

• sudden or high death rates
• unexplained illness
• significant drops in production
• unusual behaviour or clinical signs.

If you are unsure, it’s always better to call. Early reporting allows experts to assess the situation quickly and take appropriate action.

When not to call

The EAD Hotline is not for everyday animal health issues.

For routine concerns, contact your private veterinarian or your state or territory agriculture department. Keeping the hotline focused on suspected emergency diseases helps ensure urgent calls are handled quickly.

How the hotline works

The hotline operates nationally and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Animal Health Australia supports the hotline infrastructure, while state and territory animal health authorities handle calls and assess reports.

More than 5,000 calls are made to the hotline each year. While this shows strong awareness, not all calls relate to disease reports. Using the hotline appropriately helps keep it effective.

What happens during an emergency disease incident

If an emergency animal disease outbreak occurs, governments may set up separate public information lines and dedicated websites to handle general enquiries.

The EAD Hotline stays focused on its core role — reporting suspected cases, especially in areas not yet affected. This ensures new risks are identified quickly.