Australia

• Documents for pet import include a valid import permit, copies of lab reports, and a completed Veterinary Health Certificate. Documents required will depend on whether your cat or dog is coming from a Group 2 country (rabies-free) or a Group 3 country (well-controlled or rabies-absent). Please refer to the website link above to determine which group applies to your pet.
• Dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip that can be read by an ISO-compatible reader. A government-approved veterinarian must scan the microchip at each veterinary visit. The scanned microchip number must be correctly recorded on all documentation. Microchip numbers starting with 999 are not acceptable because they are not unique.
• Book a pre-export clinical examination for a government-approved veterinarian to complete a veterinary health certificate for your pet. You must have a completed Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre (RNAT), along with test declaration (attached). The dog or cat is only eligible for export to Australia at least 180 days after the blood sample arrives at the laboratory for the RNATT. Your dog must maintain a valid rabies vaccination status from the date of the RNATT to the date of export.
• Apply for an import permit and pay the necessary fees for the permit assessment. Most permits are issued in 20-40 business days, but it can take up to 123 business days in some cases. Dogs and cats from New Zealand and Norfolk Island do not require an import permit to enter Australia.
• Within 45 days of your departure to Australia, get your dog tested for Ehrlichia canis, Brucellosis (if your dog has not been spayed or neutered), Leishmaniosis, and Leptospirosis (dogs may be vaccinated against this 14 days prior to departure). The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources website can offer more detail on the requirements of each test.
• Dogs should receive a vaccination that protects against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Para-influenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica and is valid for the entire period of travel. Be advised, dogs exported from the USA must be fully vaccinated against canine influenza virus (CIV). Vaccinations must be administered between 12 months and 14 days before export and must be valid for the entire travel period in Australia.
• Dogs must be treated by a Government-Approved Veterinarian twice with an internal parasite treatment effective against internal parasites (nematodes and cestodes). The two treatments must be administered at least 14 days apart and within 45 days before export. The second treatment must be given within 5 days before export.
• Dogs must arrive in Australia prior to the expiration date of the import permit and at the port in the state where they will undergo quarantine. Please note there are additional fees required for the quarantine process.
• The following breeds or crossbreeds of the following are prohibited from travel to Australia: Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American Pit Bull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier, and Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario. The following domestic/non-domestic animal hybrids are not allowed: Czechoslovakian Wolfdog or Czechoslovakian Vlcak, Saarloos Wolfdog or Saarloos Wolfhound, Lupo Italiano or Italian Wolfdog, and Kunming Wolfdog or Kunming Dog.
• The following cat breed is prohibited from travel to Australia: Bengal cats. This is due to their high percentage of wild ancestry, which poses environmental biosecurity risks.

To download the application form required for entry into Australia with a domestic pet, please click the .pdf icon below.