We get a lot of questions about traveling to Australia with a pet. It is an exciting and beautiful destination and worth spending time exploring with your pet.
Australia just announced changes to its import policies which will make it easier and less expensive for pet owners to bring their dog or cat Down Under. Starting in February 3, 2014, pets will be able subject to reduced quarantine (30 days to 10 days) if they have a Blood Titer Test (RNATT) done between 6 and 24 months prior to entry. (Presently, regulations call for 3 months ahead of time.) This will reduce costs for quarantine, much less time spent away from our pets.
There is another important change to the rules for pet import to Australia. Dogs and cats originating in non DAFF approved countries can enter Australia through an DAFF approved country as long as they meet the regulations to enter the approved country. No longer must pets reside in the approved country for six months prior to entering Australia.
You will still need an Import Permit and your pet will need a 15 digit microchip and veterinary health certificate. There are also vaccination requirements and tests. If you are planning a trip to Australia with a pet and you already have an Import Permit, you can change your permit as long as you remit a fee and are not importing your pet until February 3, 2014.
There are other changes as well. You can find current regulations to import your dog or cat to Australia here.
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David – it will take a minimum of 180 days to prepare your cats for import to Australia from Hong Kong. They must fly into Melbourne as air cargo for a mandatory 10 days of quarantine. You can find requirements here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm.
Susan
Hi I would l like to bring my two cats both are 8 years old to Australia from Hong Kong, how much is the cost and what other information i need to know and consider?
Thank you
Jasvinder – India is not an approved country for direct import to Australia. Although you can start the process in India with the 180 day rabies titer test, you will need to move your Pug to an approved country 6-8 weeks prior to import for another titer test and more tests and treatments before importing to Australia. You can find requirements to import your dog to Australia here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm. See step #7 for importing from non-approved countries.
Susan
I want to bring my pug 2 year old from india to australia
Nikharika – you can start the process in India with the 180 day rabies titer test as long as the blood sample is processed in an approved laboratory. About 6-8 weeks ahead of transport to Australia, you will need to import your Shih Tzu to Malaysia for another titer test and further tests and treatments. Your cat will need to conform to regulations to enter Malaysia which you can find here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/Malaysia.cfm. You can find regulations to import your Shih Tzu to Australia here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm. Know that your dog will need to enter Australia at Melbourne via air cargo and few airlines will transport Shih Tzu breeds in the cargo hold. Qantas will as long as temperatures are moderate.
Susan
Hi!
I would like to bring my Shitzu (1year old) from India to Melbourne via Malaysia.
Kindly let me know how long would it take and what is the process that it involves.
All his vaccines are up to date.
Yolanda – the titer test must have been done within 24 months of entering Australia and the blood sample must have been processed at an approved laboratory. (https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm). The quarantine was $29AUD last we checked.
Susan
Hi there. If my dog has her titre test done and all other things she needs. Does she need another titre test done when she lands in Australia again. She’s coming from South Africa. And how much is the quarantine for the 10days
Shika – unfortunately, India is not an approved country for direct import of dogs and cats to Australia. Although you can start the process in India, about 6 weeks before travel, you must move your dog to an approved country for another rabies titer test and other tests and treatments. The entire process will take a minimum of 180 days to complete. You can find the requirements here and take note of step #7: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm.
Susan
Hi i want to bring my dog in melbourne from india . Plz help me with the procedure.
Jack – yes, your son’s dog must fly as air cargo into Melbourne for 10 days of mandatory quarantine anyway and it can fly unaccompanied under this class of service. We generally transport out of LAX. There are agents there that can assist with booking and final preparations. You can search for one at IPATA.org.
Susan
My son has been transferred to Australia so there is no time to go through the 6 month pre-process here in the states before my son leaves for Australia. If I go through the front end of the process in the U.S. and complete all of the necessary steps can the animal be transported at a later date to Australia without me traveling on the flight to Melbourne with the animal?
Swetha – it is very challenging to import a dog or cat to Australia from any country. Because India is not an approved country for direct import to Australia, you will need to move your dog to an approved country 4-6 weeks before import for testing and treatments. The entire process to import a dog or cat to Ausstralia takes a minimum of 180 days to complete. You can find it here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/india.cfm. It will be a very expensive move as there are hefty import taxes and your dog will need to fly as air cargo which is also an expensive class of service. Let us know if you need more information.
Susan
Hi guys,
I want my dog , shihtzu breed to bring from India to Australia only for 3 months and send it back again to India. Before taking this step I just want to know what are the procudures to be followed and what will the cost be involved for this?
Hi Jemma – yes, this forum is active and checked every day (sometimes twice a day) for questions and comments.
As to your question, we are not aware of the prices that all of these labs charge for the titer test (wish we could help you with that). Exchange rates could also play a part. We do know that the rates for the lab in the UK seem competitive; however, we do not know how they compare to the other labs.
It is interesting that this agency that you are working with requires that you identify your pet’s mix as Australia does not ban crosses. (although some airlines do…) Breed identification is something you may want to discuss with your veterinarian if you decide to pursue this agency.
Assuming that you are still in the Philippines, it may behoove you to work with an agent in an approved country to be sure your pup has proper documentation to clear customs and then proper documentation to enter Australia. The hardest part of this transport is the verification that all the testing and treatments have been done according to Australia’s regulations before import. If you need an agent in your approved country, then you can search for one at IPATA.org. (not sure where you will be moving your pup)
Susan
I’m not sure if this thread will still be active but I’ll ask my question here just in case. I’m try to bring my rescued street dog from the Philippines to Australia (via an approved group 2 or 3 country). The rabies titre test must be performed in Australia or an OIE lab overseas. The costs of sending the blood to Australia to be tested are close to $1000. I have emailed some of the OIE approved labs listed on the Australian government import checklist online to see which will accept blood from the Philippines. Most of the costs seem to be in the postage of the sample rather than the testing fees and I’m not sure how to find out where will be cheapest. If you have any idea how I could find this out I’d be very grateful.
I also want to know if my dog being a mongrel street dog/local dog (askal/aspin) will make the process any more difficult. I tried to go through a service that arranges all of the requirements for travel but they couldn’t proceed without me being able to select a breed or mix of breeds from a list.
Thank you very much for your help,
Jemma
Gautam – importing a pet, especially a cat, is challenging for any pet owner entering Australia from any country. But those wanting to enter from non-approved countries is more difficult because of change to an approved country prior to transport to Australia. Many pet owners move their pet to countries where they have family or friends in an approved country who can care for their pet, but many do not have this opportunity. It is also very expensive as Australia requires that pets enter the country as air cargo and pay a hefty import fee. All said, if you are traveling to Australia to visit, you may not want to put that stress on your cat. If you are going to Australia to live for a significant amount of time, and you have no one in India to care for your cat and cannot find a loving family to adopt your cat, then this is a question you need to ask. Is turning them into a shelter a good alternative?
Your cat will take a bit of time to get over the process, but they do. The best thing you can do is to get your vat acclimated to being in a crate and get it out of its environment in the crate. If you do this way in advance of travel, it will help them see their crate as their safe place. This takes effort on your part but it makes a difference.
Malaysia will require 7 days of quarantine to enter the country (https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/Malaysia.cfm) while Singapore will require 30 (https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/singapore.cfm) when entering from India.
Susan
I wish to take my cat to Australia from India. How risky is air travel for cats knowing the fact that they get stressed as soon as they step outside the house. Will my cat survive the number of blood tests, air travel to Singapore, Quarantine of 45 days in Singapore/Malaysia followed by another leg of travel to Melbourne and another quarantine there for 10 days. Appreciate your input and any positive case studies please.
Gerry – it will take 180 days to complete the requirements for your pet to enter Australia. The first steps are to get your pet microchipped and vaccinated for rabies if you have not done that already. If your pet was not vaccinated recently, then wait for 3-4 weeks and get it a rabies titer test. This must be done 180 days before entering Australia. The blood sample must be processes in an OIE laboratory if you are not located in a country that is approved for import to Australia. More details here: http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/australia.cfm.
Jason
Hi, I have submitted my PR visa to Australia and it could take 7 to 9 months. Can I start to apply for my pet’s import permit and do the medical check few months before my visa approval?