Johnny Depp's wife faces Australian court over dog smuggling

Johnny Depp's wife Amber Heard has been issued with a one-month good behaviour bond for breaching Australia's strict quarantine rules.

Heard faced a Queensland state court on Monday where her punishment was recorded without conviction for falsifying her arrival card and not declaring the couple's dogs on her arrival to Australia in 2015.

Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' Deputy Secretary Lyn O'Connell said Australia had strict biosecurity requirements to manage the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering the country.

"Import conditions for dogs have been developed to protect Australia from a number of pests and diseases, including rabies, ehrlichia and leishmania," O'Connell said.

"Ms Heard's actions put the health of our people, pets and native animals at risk."

O'Connell noted that as an island nation, Australia was free from many of the pests and diseases present in other parts of the world, many of which could devastate Australia's agricultural industries, economy and environment.

The couple also recorded a video played to the court expressing remorse for their actions.

The couple made international headlines in May 2015 after allegedly breaching the nation's strict quarantine rules, bringing their beloved pooches Boo and Pistol into Australia on Depp's private jet without declaring them to the authorities.

Depp was in Australia filming the latest instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise when the incident occurred.

Source:Xinhua