Meeting the pet import requirements for Australia means fulfilling a minimum 30-day quarantine, a prospect that initially sounds less-than-ideal to many pet owners but in the long run ends up being not such a big deal. We receive plenty of photos, feedback, and even videos from clients that show us what the quarantine stay is all about, and we're happy to share that information with people thinking about a pet move.

Here's a great example below. Tilly the Labradoodle arrived in Sydney a few days ago after traveling from the United States, and she'll be ready to go home on June 1. As you can see, she looks good and her owners are able to visit her (a fact she's tail-waggingly happy about, of course).

Please contact PetRelocation with your questions about moving pets to Australia, and stay in touch for more pet travel updates from our clients!

 

PetRelocation belongs to an international network of pet shipping specialists called IPATA (the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association), which means we are able to meet and share information with some of the world's best service providers in our field. 

Last week we attended a regional IPATA meeting in Dallas, TX (that's just a few hours away from our Austin headquarters), and there we were able to get to know a few of our colleagues a little bit better. In fact, a few of them were so interested in what we do that they decided to prolong their time in Texas and come down to our office for a visit. Today Manuel Leunda from Las Lunas in Argentina and Simon Jackson from Dogtainers in Australia were kind enough to spend some time with us for a "Lunch & Learn."

Manuel is actually the current president of IPATA, and he updated us on all the latest pet shipping news and plans for expansion in South America. Simon is the IPATA Treasurer, and he answered our questions about Australia import rules and how they may be changing in the coming years. The world of pet travel is busy, complex and dynamic, so we were happy to have the chance to catch up with these friendly experts. It's always beneficial to have face-to-face meetings with people we normally do business with by phone and email, and we love showing off the great city of Austin to out of town guests, as well.

Thanks to Manuel and Simon for stopping by and giving us great overviews of the important work they do. Thanks also to Kyle Freeman from VIP Sitters in Canada, who stopped by last Friday to say hello. Come back anytime, y'all!

 

Lunch & Learn with fellow IPATA members

Name: Nicola
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Miniature King Charles
From: Glasgow, UK
To: Snowtown, South Australia

Hi,

I have no idea how to start or where to start collecting all the documents to transport my dog. I'm looking forward to hearing your advice and expertise.

Regards and thanks,

Nicola
 

Hi Nicola,

We've moved many pets to Australia and would be happy to guide you with some information. Here are the pet import requirements for Australia. Your dog will need to follow a specific timeline in order to prepare for the trip, as Australia is a rabies-free country.

If your dog doesn't have a microchip, you'll want to start with that and then follow the steps as outlined. Also, you'll want to work on crate-training if your dog isn't comfortable in a travel crate yet.

Please contact us if you have any questions or if you're interested in our door-to-door services.

Good luck!

Name: Miguel
Pet's Name: Elvis
From: Caracas, Venezuela
To: Sydney, Australia

We are from Venezuela and the story begins in Caracas in mid 2012, when our Visa to live in Australia was finally approved. That was when the process to bring our pet to Australia started.

Venezuela is a country from which it's not allowed by the Australian Government to export animals directly, and as a primary requirement the animal must live at least six consecutive months in a country from which it can be exported. After many difficulties, sleepless nights, and complicated procedures, we achieved the first step: Elvis traveled from Caracas to Houston in September 2012 to begin what would be his export process before the final destination.

Austin, Texas, was the city where we decided to live the experience of what would be a transition for all of us, and there we contacted the PetRelocation agents. From the first contact via email, we were well-treated and they recommended some guidelines for what would be the preparation process for exporting our pet. We decided to visit them at their offices in Downtown Austin to meet in person and have everything made clearer. We were well-received and after that moment, the team of specialists took Elvis' case with a continuous monitoring of the whole process and guided  all veterinary checks, documents and legal procedures, quarantine, and travel plans.

Today we can say that our French Bulldog arrived healthy and without any complications from his Houston / Los Angeles / Sydney trip, and just had to fulfill the a minimum quarantine period in Australia of thirty days.

For us it is a happy ending, and as a family we are extremely grateful to the team of professionals for the excellent service. Thanks, PetRelocation!!!

-Miguel, Gabriela, Camila and Elvis!

 

 

 

 

Name: Georgia
Number of Pets: Three
Pet Type: Cats
Pet Breed: Domestic Short Hair
From: Adelaide, Australia
To: Bergen, Norway

Hi,

My soon to be husband and I are wanting to immigrate from Australia to Bergen at the beginning of next year, and we want to bring our three cats with us. I was wondering how long the quarantine period would be in Norway for my cats? Also, how would we go about finding long term accommodation (through renting) that would allow our pets?

Thanks,

Georgia

 

Hi Georgia,

Thanks for contacting us, and congratulations on your upcoming life adventures! Here are the pet import requirements for Norway. There is currently no quarantine for pets being transferred here, however you will need to take care of a few arrangements in order for everything to go smoothly (health documents, rabies vaccines, etc).

We're not directly in contact with any apartment owners/locaters in Norway, but we'd suggest searching online and checking out expat websites such as expatarrivals.com.

Thanks again for the questions, and please contact us if you're interested in our services or are wondering about anything else. Good luck with everything!

Name: Romy
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: German Pointer
From: Malta, Europe
To: Adelaide, Australia

We will be relocating to Adelaide Australia in a few months and will bring our dog with us. I guess what I need to know is a step by step procedure of what I need to do to ensue a smooth import for our dog. Or if you can advise any pet relocation services in Malta that take care of all that, would be helpful.

Thanks,

Romy

 

Hi Romy,

Thank you for the question. Going to Australia with a dog does require several steps, as Australia is a rabies-free country that imposes a quarantine on arriving pets. Here's the full run-down of Australia pet import requirements. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions.

If you're looking to hire some help in Malta, check out IPATA.org to locate a pet shipper in your area. You're also welcome to fill out our free quote form if you're interested in our door-to-door services.

Hopefully this helps, and please let us know if you have any more questions. Good luck with the move!

 

Philly the Goldendoodle recently moved from Houston to Sydney, finished out her quarantine, and now she's home with her loving family. As you might imagine, her owners (Amy and Stephen) are pretty excited to have their happy girl right next to them as they start the next chapter in their lives.

This was the first time Philly's owners had ever moved a pet (so they felt naturally uncertain about the whole thing), but as we've seen time and again, once the Pet Relocation Specialists step in and map out a plan, the doubts begin to fade.

Philly's owners did the right thing in getting the process started with us several months ago, and her whole trip went smoothly. Read on for more about Philly's move, and thanks to Amy, Stephen and Philly for sharing another great pet move story with us!

What were some of your concerns going into the move?

Philly's (and our!) anxiety on the flight. Not being able to see her everyday during quarantine. Something going wrong with the paperwork!

How is Philly adjusting to the new location?

She is so happy and lively, just as she has always been. It's like she was like "oh great, you're back, let's get on with life!"

 

Back when Philly was a younger pup

 

What is life like in Australia so far? Do you think it’s going to be a pet-friendly place to be?

We are Australian so we knew what we were getting in for. People love their animals here!

What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?

Don't try and do it yourself! Amber is much better at it!

 

Happy girl

 

Why did you decide to hire professionals to assist with Philly's move?

Less stress. We didn't even try (to do it ourselves) when we saw how much legality was involved. PetRelocation had the knowledge that we didn't, and Amber was always there to assure us things were okay and she answered our frantic questions.

 

Please contact us with any questions about moving pets to Australia (or elsewhere). Happy traveling, everyone!

 

Name: Gabriella
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Miniature Poodle
From: Malaysia
To: Australia

Hi,

I was wondering if there is any way for my pet to avoid quarantine in Australia?

Thanks,

Gabriella

 

Hi Gabriella,

Thanks for the question, we'd be happy to discuss the issue of Australia pet quarantine with you. The short answer to your question is "no, you can't avoid quarantine" -- your dog will have to follow the standard rules and fulfill a 30-day quarantine upon arrival. As a rabies-free country, Australia imposes specific procedures upon pets imported there.

Though the idea of quarantine sounds scary to many pet owners, in reality it's a safe part of the relocation process that thousands of pets have completed without incident. We've moved many pets to Australia and have experience with quarantine facilities in cities like Melbourne and Sydney (we even have photos and videos of pets happily hanging out during this interlude).

Here is more information about moving pets from Malaysia to Australia. Please contact us if you'd like some assistance with your move (here's our free quote form), and if you  have any other questions you're welcome to contact us and peruse our blog and Facebook page to find out more about other pet owners' experiences.

Good luck, Gabriella!

 

Here's Bear in quarantine in Melbourne

Name: Eden
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Turtle
From: South Korea
To: Australia

Is it possible to relocate my pet turtle from Korea to Australia? If so, what is the process of doing this?

Kind regards,

Eden
 

Hi Eden,

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately turtles are not permitted to travel to Australia from South Korea or anywhere else, as this is a country with very strict pet import rules. Find out more information about which pets are allowed into Australia here, and please contact us if you have any more questions.

Good luck with everything!

Name: Sara & Devin

Pet: Daphne

From: Savannah, GA, US

To: Melbourne, Australia

 

Hi Keith,

We've been very busy! Daphne got out of quarantine yesterday after 30 long days and she is very happy to be with Devin and I now.

I have attached a few photos from Daphne in quarantine from one of my few visits. Thank you so much for your dedication to the safe travels of my little one. I couldn't have done it without you.

Whenever I move back to the states, I will contact you without hesitation. Thanks again for all of your hard work!!

-Sara & Devin

 

 

 

 

Here's a bit of important news for anyone planning to move a pet to Australia via Perth in the next three or four months. Due to the risk of bushfires in the surrounding areas, Byford Quarantine facility in Perth will not be open to incoming pets now through May 31.

Pets can still go to Australia and they can still arrive in Perth, however they'll be redirected from Perth to a quarantine facility in Sydney. If this is the case, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) will oversee the transfer and will also pay to transport the pet(s) from Sydney back to Perth at the end of the quarantine period.

According to DAFF, "This temporary closure has been put in place to ensure the safety of your pet/s and our staff. DAFF takes the health and welfare of your pet/s very seriously."

See more about this announcement below, and please contact PetRelocation if you have any questions about moving pets to Australia within the next few weeks (or at any time).

 

 

 

Pet Travel FAQ - Byford Quarantine Facility Arrivals Through 5/13 by

 

As usual, here's our Friday link roundup...

 

A new company called Dognition tests your dog's intelligence.

Speaking of pet intelligence, are dogs smarter than cats?

How pet owners use technology during a pet move.

Even celebrities face pet travel challenges: Kristen Chenoweth recently had trouble bringing her dog onto a flight.

Rover.com aims to take over the dog boarding market.

Cute dog video! (One of our customers is in Australia quarantine and having a great time.)

Finally, meet our pet of the month: Lovie!

 

Our thoughts are with you if you're in the Northeast United States. Be safe!

 

 

Name: Lorraine
Pet's Name: Sydney
From: Australia
To: Pennsylvania
 

Our dog Sydney traveled from New York to Australia. We were extremely nervous, but PetRelocation proved that they can manage to get a dog halfway around the world.

Our dog Sydney spent one month in quarantine before we had the chance to see him, and we were so happy once we finally did. Unfortunately things did not work out as planned in Australia and we ended up deciding to move back to the US. The worst part was knowing Sydney would have to travel all the way back, but PetRelocation once again proved that it was all possible.

We are so glad Sydney is safe and made it through this whole experience.

 

 

 

Name: Katrina
Number of Pets: Tasha
Pet Type: Cat
Pet Breed: Domestic Short Hair
From: Melbourne, Australia
To: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Just wondering what I need to do to send my cat to Kuala Lumpur.

Thanks,

Katrina

 

Hi Katrina,

Shipping pets to Malaysia is a multi-step process that will take some careful planning, and you'll want to take a look at the rules here. If you're feeling overwhelmed and would like to enlist our help, you can fill out our free quote form or contact us with your questions.

Thanks for reaching out, and good luck!

Name: Megan
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Canaan
From: Seattle, WA
To: Melbourne, Australia

During the quarantine period, does my animal need to be housed in a facility, or can she stay at my home until she has reached 150 days post first blood draw and vaccines? Once my animal has cleared customs in Australia on the 151st day, can she be housed with me, or will she need to be housed at a facility?

Thanks,

Megan

 

Hi Megan,

Thanks for your question. Here are the pet import requirements for Australia; you'll see that your dog will need to spend at least 30 days housed in a quarantine facility once she has arrived in Australia. Here's more information from the official Australia site (AQIS) as well as Australia pet information from our blog, including customer stories. Hopefully you'll find that, though quarantine initially sounds like a scary thing, it's really a safe and necessary part of the process that many pet owners have handled well.

Good luck with your move, and please contact us if you have any more questions!
 

Name: Pietro
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: dog
Pet Breed: Boston Terrier
From: Italy (Catania airport)
To: Western Australia (Perth)

I live in Perth (Australia) but my dog is in Italy with my parents. I want to move him here to Perth and I'm wondering if your company can help me with that.

Thanks,

Pietro

 

Hello Pietro,

Yes, we'd be happy to help. Since we arrange door-to-door pet moves all around the world, we often work with pet owners who have already relocated themselves. Our Pet Relocation Specialists make themselves available by phone and email and will be able to guide and assist you and your parents through every step.

Please take a look at the import requirements for Australia, and if you'd like a price estimate, here is the link to our free quote form. Thanks for contacting us, we look forward to hearing from you!

 

Name: Nancy
Pet's Name: Bandit
From: New York
To: Denmark
 

My pet cat, Bandit, has just arrived in Denmark, safe and sound! I'd like to share our story...

My fiance is Danish and lives in Denmark. After a couple of years of traveling back and forth, we decided that my cat Bandit and I would move to Denmark.

I was pretty overwhelmed when I started to look into ways to move pets abroad. The main obstacle was that Bandit simply weighed too much (17 lbs) to go in-cabin on the flight. The other option, flying as cargo, seemed unappealing and I had read a lot of horror stories.

A friend recommended that I look into a pet relocation service, as that was how she moved her dog from Australia to England. I did a web search and found PetRelocation.com, among others.

All of my interactions with PetRelocation.com were extremely positive. They really know the ins and outs of pet relocation. I initially spent about 30 minutes on the phone asking a lot of questions and learned about the process. I felt that PetRelocation.com had a lot of experience and connections with certain airlines that made me feel better about transporting my cat.

They also took care of all the details. All that I really needed to do was buy the crate and do a little crate training. I also had to bring the cat to the vet as well, but PetRelocation had already handled filling in the paperwork. My vet was really appreciative of this.

I opted for door-to-door service, which went flawlessly. Our move happened right after Hurricane Sandy, which was pretty nerve-wracking, but our relocation consultant monitored the situation closely and everything went on according to plan.

On the day of the move, I received constant email updates and also was able to track my cat all through the journey. The notifications were timely and extremely helpful. In Denmark, my fiance received calls when the plane landed and also right before the cat and agent arrived at his doorstep.

My cat took the trip pretty well. He explored the apartment and is all settled in. I arrived the next day and he came out to greet me. We are very pleased with the services from PetRelocation.com. It was everything that they said it would be and I would definitely recommend them or use them if we ever move again!

Name: Tania
Number of Pets: 2
Pet Type: Dogs
Pet Breed: Jack Russell
From: New Zealand
To: Australia

 

Hi,

We have two elderly Jack Russells aged 13 & 14 years. Would the relocation & quarantine be too much stress for them?

Thanks,

Tania

 

Hi Tania,

Thank you for taking the time to seek our advice. Ultimately this will be a question to discuss with your vet, as he or she is the best person to evaluate your pets' fitness to fly to Australia and go through the 30-day quarantine, however we can offer a few links and tips based on our previous pet shipping experiences.

Moving older pets requires extra special care and attention. Some people decide it's not worth the risk, and others choose to go forward -- here's more information about how to safely move an elderly pet. We've also addressed the issue of basic pet air travel safety on our blog, as this is an area of common concern, as well. Finally, here's a bit more about Australian quarantine facilities. There are many misconceptions about the places where pets are boarded, and most people discover them to be much safer and more comfortable than they first imagined.

Please let us know if you have any more questions, and good luck with everything!

 

Name: Federico
Number of Pets: Two
Pet Type: Rabbits
From: Italy
To: New Zealand

 

Hello,

I would like to have information about how to move two pet rabbits from Italy to New Zealand. My pets have an international passport, and they've been neutered and vaccinated.

Thanks,

Federico

 

Hi Federico,

Thanks for your question. Unfortunately New Zealand is very strict when it comes to importing pets, and at this time rabbits may only be imported from Australia. Here's a link to the official site for more information -- please let us know if you have any more questions.

Thanks again, and good luck!

 

Name: Joanna
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Westie cross
From: Melbourne, Australia
To: Michigan, USA

Is it ok/safe for a middle-aged (6-year-old) dog to be relocated during January from an Australian summer to a US winter?

Thanks,

Joanna

 

Hi Joanna,

Thanks for your question. While we can tell you that we've moved thousands of pets safely to and from many destinations during all parts of the year, it sounds like this is an issue you should really discuss with your vet. Travel can be too stressful for some pets, but if your dog is properly crate trained and -- most importantly -- if you choose a pet-friendly airline (we often go with United, KLM or Lufthansa), the outdoor temperature shouldn't have an effect on your travel details.

Please contact us if you'd like to talk to us further, take a look at the pet import requirements for the United States, and be sure to set aside some time to chat with a trusted veterinarian about any concerns you may have.

Good luck!