Move to Australia with a dog: Is Bringing Pets to Australia a Good Idea? 

Here are reviews and details to help you see if Australia is a good place to travel or relocate to with your pets.

Once you arrive in Australia, this Ultimate Guide to Travelling Around Australia will provide some great tips for you.

The regulations for importing a pet to Australia are very complex and vary highly depending on what country you are starting from.  This guide is a good place to start, but there is no way to capture the complexity of the issues. Please refer to the official websites below for all the details. 

The Australian government suggests people hire a pet shipping company due to the complex nature of completing all the requirements.

Official Australian website on importing pets

Official US website on bringing a pet from the US to Australia

What Airports Accept a Dog or Cat from Another Country?

All dogs and cats being imported into Australia have to fly into Melbourne.  The Melbourne International Airport is the only place with quarantine facilities, so that is the only option.

Connecting flights outside of Australia are only allowed in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London, Dubai, Hong Kong or another approved group 1 or 2 country

Your dog will usually be checked in at the freight terminal, not the passenger terminal.

Can my dog or cat fly in the cabin with me to Australia?

Unfortunately, no. The animal must travel as manifested cargo and not in the cabin (except for service dogs trained to perform a task).

You will also have to pay a fee to the airline for your pet to be inspected once it arrives in Australia.

When you’re preparing to bring your dog to Australia, don’t put any items like toys, medication, or valuables in the crate with them. These things will be thrown away as biosecurity waste when the dog arrives in Australia.

On the day you leave, seal your dog in the crate using the seal provided by the official government veterinarian.

Entry Requirements for Importing a Dog to Australia from a Group 1 Approved Country

What places are included in Australia’s Import Group 1?

New Zealand and Norfolk Island and cats from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

If you want to bring your dog or cat to Australia, there are some rules you need to follow. Your pet must have lived in New Zealand since birth, or if you got it from Australia, that’s okay too. If you got it from any other country, it needs to have lived in New Zealand for 180 days before you can take it to Australia. Also, your pet needs to be at least eight weeks old before you can take it.

Documentation Required and How to Get It:

An import permit is not required from these countries.

You will still need to work with an official New Zealand veterinarian based on the list from the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.  They sign a document that states the pet meets all the requirements.

The documentation also states the pet has its microchip, parasite treatment, and a health certificate saying the animal is fit to travel within 5 days of export.

The document also needs to say if New Zealand has been free from a number of diseases that affect dogs over the past 12 months.

There are additional rules if dogs were in Africa prior to New Zealand.

It’s important to let the department know when your pet is arriving in Australia. You should send an email to the regional office in the state or territory where your pet will first arrive at least three days before your pet’s arrival.

Pet import to Australia from a Group 2 Approved Country

What places are included in Australia’s Import Group 2?

These countries are typically considered to be rabies-free.

American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Kiribati, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga (Kingdom of), Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna.

Medical Requirements: 

If you want to bring your pet to Australia, any veterinary procedures and testing need to be done in a laboratory that the exporting country’s authority recognizes. Australia prepared a document explaining exactly what the vet needs to do

• Topical external parasite treatment at least 30 days before import
• Internal parasite treatment against nematodes (roundworms) and cestodes (tapeworms) 5 days before export
• Dogs need either a test or a vaccine for Leptospira interrogans
• Intact dogs need to be tested for Brucella canis 45 days before export
• Blood sample to be tested for Leishmania infantum
• Vet check 5 days before export and get the health certificate

 Documentation Required and How to Get It: 

You will be required to get an import permit and pay for it on the Biosecurity Import Conditions System.

At least 180 days before importing your pet to Australia, you need to take it to a government-approved vet and have its microchip scanned and its identity verified.

You will need a health certificate that shows all the required information about the pet and the records.

Quarantine Requirements for Group 2:

After arriving in Australia, cats and dogs need to go to the Mickleham post-entry quarantine facility for at least 10 days.

Pet import to Australia from a Group 3 Approved Country

What places are included in Australia’s Import Group 3?

The UK, USA, and some European countries as approved places where rabies is either absent or controlled well enough.

Medical Requirements: 

If you want to bring your pet to Australia, any veterinary procedures and testing need to be done in a laboratory that the exporting country’s authority recognizes. Australia prepared a document explaining exactly what the vet needs to do

• Complete a rabies titer (blood) test 180 days before import. Results are connected to the microchip. The test is valid for 12 months or 365 days from the date of blood sampling.
• Vaccinated with an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine (3-year validity is acceptable)
• All the other requirements for Category 2 apply including treatment for parasites and other vaccinations

Documentation Required and How to Get It: 

You will be required to get an import permit and pay for it on the Biosecurity Import Conditions System.

Have your pet’s identity verified by multiple competent authorities before the rabies titer test. That can reduce their quarantine time

For people from the US, this is the list of  Accredited Veterinarians

You will need a health certificate that shows all the required information about the pet and the records.

Quarantine Requirements for Group 3:

After arriving in Australia, cats and dogs need to go to the Mickleham post-entry quarantine facility for at least 10 days and up to 30 days.

Pet import to Australia from a Non-Approved Country

Cats and dogs from countries that are not approved can still come to Australia if they meet certain requirements. They need to have lived in an approved Group 1, 2, or 3 country for 180 days straight before coming to Australia. Additionally, they need to meet all of the import rules for the approved country they lived in.

Additional Considerations

Import Permits:

Applications for import permits can take 123 business days to process. Australia encourages importers to use a pet transport agent to make things easier.

The department suggests starting to prepare for exporting your pet at least 7 months before you want to bring them to Australia if you’re coming from a category 3 country. If you’re coming from a category 2 country that doesn’t require rabies preparations, then you should start the process at least 6 months beforehand.

Microchip Requirements: 

An (ISO) compatible microchip is required. All documentation must be paired with a scanned microchip.

How to Avoid Pet Quarantine in Australia: 

Unfortunately, there isn’t really a way to avoid quarantine except to come from a Group 1 country. The way to reduce the time spent in quarantine from 30 days to 10 for group 3 countries is to have your pet’s identity verified prior to getting the blood taken for the rabies titer test.

Exceptions are possible for service dogs trained to perform a task.

How Much Does Quarantine Cost in Australia?

The cost for the initial 10 days is thousands of dollars.

Breed Restrictions:

Non-domestic hybrids like wolf-cross or Bengal cats are not allowed.

These breeds are also not allowed:

• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Japanese Tosa
• Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull
• Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.

Is this country considered high-risk rabies for entry into the US?

No

Is this country considered high rabies for entry into EU countries?

No

Are you flying to Australia?

Read Flying with a Dog Under the Airplane Seat: The Ultimate Guide

Read Flying with a Big Dog: Travel Tips for Ease & Safety

This information was last updated January 2023. If you notice any errors or updates, please let us know by contacting us here.