Yes, cats and dogs from all over the world are dancing and rejoicing as the news breaks about the new Australian quarantine rules.
So, what exactly is this news?
Pets moving to Australia
I got an email the other day from Anita who has been a subscriber to my emails and been reading my posts for a while now. She is in the process of organising a move to Australia in the early part of next year, but had a slight problem with one of the blood tests for her pet dog.
This delayed her move a bit so early next year has become later next year, but, as Anita said, every cloud has a silver lining. That delay has meant that her dog will only need to spend 10 days in Australian quarantine, not 30. New rules, which kicked in on 2 December 2013 will now apply to her pet so she’s actually a very happy bunny.
As she said to me in the email “I hope you don’t mind me saying but it would be really helpful to put a message on your next email about the reduced quarantine time as this may help to reassure people coming to Aus with dogs and cats in the future.”
Well no, I didn’t mind her saying it and the funny thing is, with Mrs Bobinoz running Dog Walks, we have both been more than aware of these changes for some time. So why didn’t I think of letting you know sooner?
It may sound strange, but when my wife and I have talked about these changes it has always been in terms of her business, Dog Walks Pty Ltd. So much so, that I completely overlooked that these changes are also of great interest to my readers at Bobinoz.
Bad, bad Bobinoz; but better late than never.
The new ten-day quarantine rules
Here’s another problem, although these rules came into effect a week ago on 2 December 2013, ALL the rules regarding visiting dogs during their 10 day stay and perhaps walking them have not yet been fully announced.
So, whilst I can confirm that Dog Walks will continue to operate in 2014, (No it won’t, see update below) I can’t tell you exactly what services they will be able to provide. Will Dog Walks be able to walk dogs? Will they be able to visit dogs? Will they be able to continue to take photographs, provide treats, toys or even deliver, as they have done in the past, a pet’s favourite food?
The great news for cats and dogs is that, provided they qualify by having gone through the correct procedure, they’ll be staying for just 10 days in quarantine and not 30.
Update: to find out what happened to Dog Walks, click on the following link…
All your questions answered
Not by me, but by the Australian Governments’ website for the Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, more commonly known as DAFF.
Before we go over to their website though, these new rules come into effect only where a permit has been applied for after 2 December 2013 and the dog or cat does not enter Australia until on or after 3 February 2014, the date when the new Australian import conditions come into full effect.
All pets arriving before 3 February 2014 are still required to stay the full 30 days.
To find out everything you need to know about the new rules, visit:
To find out more about exporting your pet to Australia, visit:
- The Department of Agriculture’s page Bringing Cats and Dogs (and other pets) to Australia
On that very same page is a useful tool to help you calculate your pre-export treatment schedule for your dog or cat in three easy steps:
- Select whether your pet is a ‘dog’ or a ‘cat’
- Select your ‘country of export’
- Select the ‘date of export’ from the fields below
The “Calculator” box looks like this…
And as soon as you have answered those three questions your full schedule will drop-down below and guide you through the process.
Clicking on the “click here for more information” link underneath that will take you to a fresh page with a step-by-step guide to exporting your pet to Australia. In the example I tried, there were 20 steps in all.
As for visiting or walking whilst your pet is in quarantine, as soon as I have any updated information about that I will post it here.
Our dog, Baggy (God rest him), had to spend the full 30 days in quarantine when we moved here; I wonder what he would’ve made of all these changes…
You can read more about Baggy in my post Moving to Australia: Baggy’s Story
We are in the very beginning stages of looking into moving from Uk to oz.
We have a labrador and a springador. The springer is so neurotic and scared of her own shadow ? has anyone else ever flown a really reactive dog? We are going to talk to the vet but I am so worried it might really affect her.
If you don’t get a response here Jenny, it may be worth you looking at the comments on the following page on my site…
https://www.bobinoz.com/migration-advice/bringing-your-pet-to-australia/
I know plenty of people have mentioned how nervous their own pets are, so I’m sure you’ll find some information there. Feel free to post this same question on that page if you wish, more people seem to be tuned into that page than this one.
Thank you. I will have a look 🙂
Hi, I need to relocate my dogs from Jakarta to Australia, via Singapore or Malaysia, are you aware or can advise of any companies facilitating such a service?
Thanks muchly
No, I’m not, but your best bet would be to look for somebody local to you who is IPATA registered. Good luck, Bob
Hi, what about pets from South Africa? The country of export doesn’t mention SA…
Look under ‘the Republic of South Africa’, you will find it there. No, I’ve not heard it called that either 🙂
Thanks. I’m really dumb. It actually IS called the Republic of SA. I’ve just never seen it on a form 🙂
Well, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone refer to it as that, so I’ve learnt something myself. Cheers, Bob
22 years ago I moved back from Canada to my home in Australia and brought my kitty. We flew him with us to Hawaii where he stayed in a quarantine facility for 3 months. We visited him at the facility before we headed to Australia. I hired a private lady who came in daily and spent time with him. Then after his 3 months he went to her house for 3 months where then she had to ship him to New Zealand. He spent another 3 months in New Zealand with a lovely couple who always sent me updates and photos. After his 3 months in New Zealand they shipped him to a quarantine facility in Sydney where we got to pick him up after a week. 22 years ago this all cost about $5000. And I fretted over it being such a long time. He didn’t seem any worse for wear when we picked him up and his personality hadn’t changed either. He lived another 18 years. I have had to return to Canada to live again and always hope to go home eventually to retire. So good to see any fur babies I have may have to go through a little less for me to bring them nowadays.
Crikey, yes, the system has certainly changed a lot since you brought your kitty over. It is still kind of a six-month process, as Michelle pointed out below, but for many cats and dogs coming from lots of countries they only need to spend 10 days in quarantine.
A big improvement on 22 years ago. Thanks for reminding us 🙂
Forgot to say, you could do all the paper work yourself, and they just import the dog – which would be substantially cheaper.
You can’t import a dog yourself, you do need to use a transport company, but you can do all the paperwork etc yourself.
Please be
aware this is a 6 month process as dogs need all sorts of vaccinations and blood tests to enter Australia.
Good Luck.
Hi Zoe.
EVERYTHING QUOTED IS FOR TWO DOGS – LABRADOR RETRIEVERS. AIRLINE COST IS BASED ON WEIGHT – BEST TO GET A QUOTE FOR YOUR DOG WHICH WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS DUE TO ITS SIZE.
This is based on a crate measuring 99 x 56 x 77cm, calculated from your measurements of 82 x 67cm for Dog1 and 105 x 56 x 80cm calculated from 87 x 70cm for Dog2.
I am just going through this process now. I am using PetAir from the UK to Sydney and then JetPets from Sydney to Gold Coast.
Pet Air have several different options – Bronze, silver, gold. I took the gold service, as I have a new baby, 2.5 year old twins and we are moving lock, stock and barrel. This is what the gold service entails – THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE QUARANTINE FEES IN SYDNEY/MELBOURNE – WHICH YOU PAY DIRECTLY AT AROUND $1700 FOR 10 DAYS – BUT THIS IS FOR TWO DOGS (LABRADORS RETRIEVERS)
The gold service includes the following:
Airline ticket for Boo and Berry with Qantas from Heathrow to Sydney Australia (subject to availability)
Airline surcharges in UK (Handling / Security / War Insurance / Fuel / Airway Bill / Transit Fees)
Booking of quarantine space (10 days) with Australian authorities (NB quarantine fees and local airline charges not included as payable in Australia)
Custom made PetAir UK, IATA approved, wooden travel containers with comfortable bedding and watering facility (please see notes below about the crates)
Transhipment permit (as required)
Vet guidance notes sent to your vet
Export customs entry
Application for DEFRA export health certificate(s)
Application and payment for import licenses from Australian authorities
RNATT declaration completion
External parasite treatment – with your own vet approx 43-48 days prior to export
All veterinary fees for blood samples to be taken by your own vet, within 21 days of the flight (including sampling fees and lab test fees – we will send your vets notes and advise on the best dates for you to take Boo and Berry to the vets
Lab fees for veterinary testing
Required Tick and Tapeworm treatments (x2 vet visits)
Completion of the DEFRA paperwork including pre travel veterinary health examination
Collection from your home (SL postcode) and one night’s boarding at our kennels near Heathrow
Check-in to make sure Boo and Berry are comfortably and safely away
We can provide the above services for a total cost of GOLD £4958.26 (VAT not applicable as destination is outside EU).
I found their internal flights (my dogs are going from Sydney to Gold Coast) through thier supplier ‘Dogtainer’ really high, so I researched and I am going with JetPets at half the price – $900 again this is for two dogs.
I hope that is helpful.
Great write-up Michelle, not sure why I didn’t see it before, but thanks for this very useful information. I’m pretty sure we used JetPets to bring our dog up from Sydney to Brisbane, and it was the same for us, they were about half price compared to some of the others. Nothing wrong with the service though, we were very happy with them.
Hi I have been looking through all the different pages and comments and this seems to be the most recent discussion. I am looking for some advice if possible. I already live in qld and have been desperately trying to bring my small Yorkshire terrier over. I have spoke to various company’s and have been quoted that the whole process will cost between $8000-10000! Surly this cannot be true? Would it be possible for me to arrange the whole process myself and not use a company to plan it? Any advise would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Hi Zoe
Yes, this is one of my more recent posts about bringing pets, but I do have a page on it as well and that has many comments from people talking about costs and bringing your pets here, see Bringing Your Pet to Australia.
As for the quotes you’ve got, they do sound a bit high, but we paid over £3000 (nearly $6000) 7 years ago, so maybe that’s what it costs these days. It isn’t possible for you to organise it all yourself without using a company as you need them to deliver your dog to the airline company for it to board the plane, private individuals are not authorised to do this.
Good luck, I hope you find a way to bring your Yorkshire Terrier over. Cheers, Bob
Hi bob, its Kerry again, dobu no roughly how much it is to bring a cat??? Thanks again, love the blog/site uv thought of everything!!!!
Hi Kerry
Bringing a cat cost the same amount of money as bringing a small dog, it goes on weight and crate size. If I were you I’d have good browse through my page about Bringing Your Pet to Australia and be sure to read the comments. Lots of people have mentioned how much is has cost them to bring their pets across so you will get a very good idea.
Obviously a lot depends on which country you are coming from, but if it’s the UK I certainly wouldn’t expect too much change out of £2000 and it may even be closer to £3000 these days. But as I say, check out the other page and the comments, you may get some more up-to-date information.
Cheers, Bob
We are thinking of taking our 8 and half year Pomerania with us to Brisbane , do you think this is wise , we have a lovely family in uk wanting to care for him
It’s difficult for me to say from here Yvonne, I would suggest that you ask your vet the selfsame question. We asked our vet about Baggy, our chocolate labrador, who was 10 years old at the time.
Vets will give you an honest opinion, ours advised that we do bring Baggy with us, so we did.
Hi- my family is moving to Austalia in a year-ish. Our dog is a rescue mix with possible pit. Neutered and all. But def a mix. Is he able to come in the country being a mutt with restricted breed?
There is a list of banned dogs on the government’s website somewhere, but my wife tells me that pit bulls are not on it, so I reckon you have a good chance. Any Australian approved vet, and there should be one somewhere near you, would be able to confirm whether your dog would be allowed or not.
Cheers, Bob
How funny. I have been looking at your wifes website for about a year. We are finally immigrating in January 2015.
I came across your website by accident and have spent some time on it only to find out you are the husband of Mrs. Dogwalks. I have just purchased her ebook.
I am very sad that she won’t be walking my to choccies. As her website really gave me peace of mind that they would have been cared for.
Such is live.
Mx
Well, that’s the thing you see, my wife never mentions me on her website, I talk about Mrs Bob all the time here 🙂
Congratulations on finally sorting out your move, hope you get to love this place as much as we do. Yes, it’s a pity Karen won’t be able to walk your choccies, we brought our chocolate lab out here as well, as you probably know. God bless him, Baggy.
I’m sure your dogs will be just fine in quarantine though, they are such a laid-back dog, you will fret more than they do.
Cheers, Bob
Michelle, someone mentioned a lady with two choc labs in the Ascot area moving to Oz in January other day! Could this be you?? We too are moving back in 2015 – probably around July. Would love to hear how you get on! I was all geared up to use Dog walks when the time came but think the new laws have put paid to that! Really nervous how our very wimpy Great Dane is going to cope! Susie and Domino. X
Hello Susie, it is indeed me!
Did they say she is the most neurotic owner we have ever met. 🙂
I was also very worried as my one dog is more like a poodle in temperament, however, it is only 10 days, which is so much better than a month. In my mind the Australian government/zoos etc, seem to treat animals very well – so I am not too worried. I suspect they will be very well looked after, one wouldn’t do a job like that if one didn’t love animals.
There is of course a 6 month period (before you go) of making sure all the rabies vaccinations have been done etc.
I have done extensive research into the companies to transport them and after interviewing a few companies I have chosen PetAir from London to Sydney – and so far I am very pleased with my decision. The other company who’s name is so similar but reversed – I wasn’t impressed with at all. I know a vet who flew her cat from London to New Zealand and used PetAir, so that sold me, as she worked in the area of transporting animals across the world. My dogs are then being flown down to the Gold Coast as we will be there for 3 weeks visiting my husbands family. I won’t put the dogs in a kennel I haven’t visited and interviewed myself , so they will join us on the Gold Coast. We were advised to use a specific company by PetAir, but I have chosen a smaller family run company who are half the price and seem to be very organised they are called – JetPets – again, so far I am very happy. I am of course all over these companies like a rash, and I personally check all the paperwork.
I suspect you Great Dane will be fine – you know they say they would rather be with you than without you.
Do you live near Ascot? Are you moving to Sydney?
Hope all goes well for you.
Michelle
Amazing!!! What a small world! No – no one is more neurotic than me and Yes – we live in Ascot and will be moving to Sydney (Manly area).Im thinking of using PetAir too. I am an Aussie – lived in UK for last 9 years. Are you familiar with Sydney? If you need any help or info – let me know. In fact I know of a seemingly fantastic place you might use to board your dogs in the future. I am going to make contact with them as Domino’s future home away from home all going well. You can email direct (hope its ok to say that on here??) theedwardsinuk@btinternet.com rather than filling Bob’s pages with our chat?? Susie
For what it’s worth, my wife says that PetAir UK and JetPets are both good companies to deal with, so sounds as though you have done your research well 🙂
Thanks Bob. Getting Domino back and settled is the only thing I’m worried about with the move home! Thank you for this page – how amazing to have connected with Michelle! Not only do we live near each other here in UK, but will also be close by in Sydney. It is a small world indeed! Susiex
Hi Susie
My pleasure, I’m delighted to have connected you and Michelle through this page. Yes it is a small world, either that or one of you is a stalker.
Just kidding 🙂
Hope your move goes well, I’m sure it will.
Cheers, Bob
How do I find out the rules for parrots migrating from the U.S.? Is there a limit to how many can come with an individual?
Click on the link to the government website about cats and dogs in the above article, and then on that page you will find this sentence…
If you wish to import reproductive material or animals other than cats or dogs, view the Live Animals and Reproductive Material page.
Click on the link in that for more information. Good luck, Bob
We are very happy for the doggies and kitties! However – we missed out on the new arrangements! Spot – my beautiful cat – has been in quarantine since the end September last year (that is in South Africa). He arrives in Melbourne end of January 2014. The new ruling by quarantine apparently will not apply to us. VERY sad. Most traumatic for our kitty. An issue now for us in Adelaide is to bring him home again. ‘Bob in Oz’ – on another note: may you and your family (pets included) enjoy a delightful and blessed Festive Season. May the New Year 2014 be one of total bliss, health and happiness. By the way – thank you for all your very informative and valuable information.
Yes, unfortunately the new rules only apply to qualifying countries and South Africa isn’t one of those. On the plus side, not long left until you and your cat will be reunited again.
Merry Christmas to you too, and I hope 2014 is good for you in your new surroundings in Adelaide.
Cheers, Bob