Pet Travel Q&A: All About Australia Dog Quarantine

Hello,

Can you please help me find the most efficient and expedient route to move my sensitive little Shiba from New York City to Sydney?

Is there any way to expedite the 190 day process? How do celebrities fly their dogs in and out of Australia so easily?

Also, do you know of any quarantine facilities in Sydney (anywhere around Bondi) that allow a lot of contact with the owners during the 10 day quarantine?

I really want to be able to visit with him as much as possible to ease his stress. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanking you.
Abby

 

Hi Abby,

Thank you for reaching out! We answer lots of questions about shipping pets to Australia because it is quite a complex process.

First, it's important to know that you must follow the official pet import rules for Australia exactly. It's funny that you mention celebrities -- even rich and famous people must complete the rabies requirements, gather all paperwork, and their pets must spend 10 days in quarantine upon arrival, too. (Recently Amber Heard and Johnny Depp tried to sidestep these rules and bring their dogs into the country under the radar in their private plane, and when the authorities discovered what they'd done they were in quite a bit of trouble.)

As for the "190 day process," note that most of this takes place with your dog at home with you before you travel, and the final 10 days are spent in an official Australia quarantine facility upon arrival. Essentially you need to make sure your dog follows the correct timeline in terms of the microchip, Rabies Titer Test and additional vaccines/requirements.

Currently all pets must fulfill their 10-day quarantine in Melbourne (the Sydney facility closed in 2015, and in the future all pets will pass through a Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Mickleham, Victoria). Visiting is not allowed, but the facilities are very transparent and in our experience provide excellent care to pets.

If you're nervous about how your dog will do, we recommend starting to crate train him well before your move and to discuss any concerns with your vet. Also, take a look at some of our Australia pet travel stories --  hopefully they will help to ease your mind!

If you have additional questions or think you'd like some help with your Shiba Inu's move, contact us for a pet travel consultation. We'd be happy to help you plan a safe trip!

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Abby
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Shiba Inu
From: New York, United States
To: Sydney, Australia