Destination: Australia
Taking Pets to Australia
Taking Pets to Australia
Bringing your pets to Australia can be a complex and costly process, but thousands of pets make the journey every year to join their families. Many in the expat community agree that bringing your pet is an important part of settling into life in Australia.
Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world, particularly to prevent rabies. Since the UK is classified as “rabies well-controlled” rather than “rabies-free,” the process to bring pets to Australia requires thorough preparation and careful planning.
Here’s an updated step-by-step guide to help you understand the process of flying your pet from the UK to Australia.
The Steps
Step 1: Plan Early – Timing is Crucial
The first thing to do is decide when you’d like your pet to fly. Preparation is key, as most UK pets are not routinely vaccinated against rabies. You should start the process 9-10 months before your desired travel date to ensure all biosecurity and regulatory requirements are met in time.
Step 2: Rabies Vaccination and Blood Test
Once you’ve decided on the timeline, the first major step is vaccinating your pet against rabies. Around 3-4 weeks after the rabies vaccination, your pet will need a Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT), which must be conducted by a veterinarian. This test confirms that your pet has developed enough antibodies to protect against rabies.
Your pet cannot enter Australia until at least 180 days after the laboratory receives the rabies blood sample. The test results are valid for one year.
If the RNATT results are unsatisfactory, the process will need to be repeated. PetAir UK can guide you through the steps to ensure everything stays on track.
Step 3: New ID Check Requirement
Starting 4 November 2024, pets will need to undergo an identity check before blood sampling for the RNATT to qualify for 10 days of quarantine rather than 30 days. The identity check must be performed by two separate OV66-authorized veterinarians. If this check is not completed before the RNATT, your pet may need to spend 30 days in quarantine.
This ID check is critical to ensuring your pet is eligible for the shortest possible quarantine period, and PetAir UK will assist you in navigating this new requirement.
Step 4: Get a Bespoke Quote
Once the rabies vaccination and RNATT are complete, contact PetAir UK for a tailored quote to help manage the rest of the process. We handle all the complex logistics and documentation to ensure a smooth experience.
Step 5: RNATT Declaration by a UK Government Vet
After your pet has passed the RNATT, a UK government vet (Official Veterinarian or OV) must complete the RNATT Declaration. This vet will review your pet’s rabies vaccination history and the RNATT results before signing and stamping the declaration.
Importantly, the vet who took the blood sample for the RNATT cannot sign the RNATT declaration – it must be completed by a different veterinary practice. PetAir UK can manage this step for you to ensure compliance with Australian regulations.
Step 6: Apply for an Import Permit
The next step is applying for an import permit, which is required for your pet to enter Australia. This permit is valid for one year and the application process can take up to 12 weeks, so it’s important to apply as soon as possible after receiving the RNATT results.
The application requires:
- Your UK address and Australian contact details
- Your pet’s name, birth date, and microchip information
- The RNATT certificate and declaration
PetAir UK will guide you through this application process to ensure timely submission.
Step 7: Book Quarantine Accommodation
Australia has only one centralised quarantine facility, located in Melbourne. If your pet successfully meets all requirements, they may only need to stay in quarantine for 10 days. However, without the proper ID check or if there are any issues with the documentation, this period could extend to 30 days.
Once the import permit is issued, we will help you book your pet’s quarantine stay. Quarantine spaces fill up quickly and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so early booking is essential.
Step 8: Veterinary Appointment – Tick and Vaccination Check
About 6 weeks before your flight, your pet will need to visit the vet again for a tick check and the application of an approved anti-tick treatment. Ensure your vet uses a tick treatment that complies with Australian biosecurity regulations. If your pet’s vaccination against Leptospira is not up to date, your vet can administer the first of two required vaccines at this time.
PetAir UK will provide you and your vet with a detailed schedule, outlining all required treatments to ensure your pet meets Australian import requirements.
Step 9: DEFRA Export Paperwork
At this stage, PetAir UK will apply for the necessary DEFRA export paperwork on your behalf. The paperwork will be completed by our veterinarians shortly before the flight to ensure all documentation is ready for your pet’s journey.
Step 10: Final Pre-Flight Vet Visit
3-4 weeks before your pet’s flight, they will need a final health check and additional blood tests for diseases that Australia screens for. Dogs will also require another tick treatment and internal worming at this time. For dogs, the second Leptospira vaccine should be administered as well.
For cats, the process is simpler, but they will still need a tick check, tick treatment, and worming treatment during this appointment.
Step 11: Last Vet Check – Within 5 Days of Flight
Within 5 days of the flight, your pet will need a final health check to confirm they are fit to travel and free of any infectious diseases. Another round of worm and tick treatment is required at this time.
The DEFRA export paperwork must be completed by a vet from a different practice than the one that performed the earlier checks. PetAir UK will handle all logistics for you, including collecting your pet the day before the flight and boarding them near the airport to ensure a smooth departure.
Step 12: Flight Day
On the day of the flight, we’ll provide you with a tracking link so you can monitor your pet’s journey. Some airlines even send pictures and updates during stopovers to keep you informed.
Step 13: Arrival in Australia
Upon arrival, your pet will be collected from the airport by quarantine staff and transported to the Mickleham Quarantine Facility in Melbourne. You will be notified when your pet is settled and safe, and the quarantine team will monitor your pet’s health and well-being during their stay.
Step 14: Reuniting with Your Pet
After the quarantine period (10 or 30 days depending on eligibility), you can collect your pet and begin your new life together in Australia. If you need transportation for your pet from Melbourne to another destination in Australia, we can arrange this final leg of the journey for you.
We love receiving reunion photos and videos, so don’t forget to share your special moments with us!
Related Locations
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Laika and Skip flew to Melbourne, Australia
I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help in getting my babies safely to Melbourne. I was very happy with the service and never felt a bother when I asked a thousand questions about the process. I really appreciate all the reassurance and understanding you provided, as this helped keep my anxieties at bay. I was so impressed by how easily you were able to sort and rearrange our travel arrangements when I became ill after having my baby. It couldn’t have been easier or more stress free on my part. I picked up Laika and Skip from quarantine expecting them to be skinny and shaking with stress, but they were the happy healthy pups I left in the UK. They have settled into life here so easily and I am so glad we were able to bring them along. Thank you Catherine and thank you to everyone at PetAir UK, I would definitely recommend you to anyone!!
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Sansa to Australia – August 2019
Everything went very well with Sansa’s relocation to Australia… in fact, so much better than I expected. She is quite a sensitive little thing, but she has settled into her new Aussie home really quickly. Thanks so much for looking after her and making the whole procedure far less stressful than it could have been. Thanks again!
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Elvis, Oscar, Princess and Zion to Australia
“Hi Everyone
This is just to send you all a BIG thank you for your help, service, patience and understanding with the move of our four cats to Australia. The service you provided was excellent. Moving country can be so stressful but Catherine especially I knew I could contact you with any concerns or worries with the cats’ move and you would reply straight away with reassurance! From the time I received a quote to even the driver Kevin collecting the cats, I felt that your service was first rate.
Lenny, thank you for sending your updates once the cats arrived in Melbourne. The video was such a lovely touch and was so reassuring.
The cats have settled in well. Princess is still a little nervous (she is a nervous cat anyway) but the others seem fine and are all adjusting well!
Some pics are attached 🙂
Thank you again.
Take care
Cxxxxx Dxxxxxx”
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Dotty to Australia
“Dear Catherine and Linsey,
Just wanted to say thank you for your help in arranging Dotty’s travel arrangements to Australia. All went smoothly and she is settling really well. Here we are on Brighton beach Adelaide at the weekend. Doggy paradise.
Best wishes
Dxxxxx”
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Bert In Melbourne
“Dear Linsey and Catherine,
Sorry for the delay in replying and can I just say a massive massive THANK YOU for all your help with Bert, you were brilliant with our last minute issues, reassuring, calm and everything else.
We collected Bert last weekend and apart from being very pleased to see us and a tad skinny he is full of beans.
I’ve attached a couple of photos, feel free to use them anywhere you like (I apologise for appearing in one of them!).
If you ever want to put a client in touch with somebody as a testimonial then please do not hesitate.
All the very best,
Cxxxx and Nxxxxx”
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Amber is loving Sydney life!
Thank you so much for everything Pet Air did for us. We are so very appreciative of everything you did, both for us and for Amber. It took all the stress and worry out having you guide us the whole way through the process and we knew Amber was in safe hands. I would also be happy to recommend you to anyone who wanted to move their pet 🙂
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Nigel the cat flew to Tasmania
Hi Lenny and Catherine
Nigel is home, safe and sound. He’s explored every room of his new home, steadfastly ignored all his new toys, eaten far more treats than strictly necessary, and is now cuddled up by my feet on the sofa looking very contented and happy.
A huge thank you to both of you and everyone else involved in getting him safely here. You’ve obviously looked after him very well, and it’s wonderful to have him back. We missed him so much!
We really appreciate everything you’ve done. If we ever hear of someone wanting to bring their pet over from the UK, we will keep recommending you relentlessly until they give in!
Thanks again,
Lxxxx and family.
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Finally, Athena made it over to Brisbane, Australia!
Hi Catherine,
Just to let you know I collected Athena from BNE yesterday for a very happy reunion.
I’m not sure which of us was more excited! Actually, my Dad wins – hands down ! He’s already calling Athena “my dog” and after only 3 hours together the pair of them are inseparable.
Thank you for all your help. I can’t imagine even trying to organise all this by myself. Fantastic service!
Warm Regards,
Drew, Roz and Athena
Oh….And Jim!
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Teddy to Australia
“Hi Linsey, Many thanks for your message and bringing teddy to us safely. He is doing well and getting use to his new life down under! I attach a couple of pics from his day he arrived where he is smiling!:
Many thanks, Mxxxxx & Ted”
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Pippi the dog flew to Australia
Hi Rachel, Just wanted to let you know that we collected Pippi from quarantine this morning and she’s settling into her new home down under quite nicely.
She’s lost quite a lot of weight in quarantine, but generally she’s in great shape.
Thank you and everybody at Pet Air for everything – this was a long project for me: my initial enquiry with you was at the end of 2014, and at times I didn’t think it was ever going to happen…but here she is! You and your team made the whole thing very straight forward for me, and I’m very, very grateful.
Kind regards, Sxxxx
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Pip to Australia
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for everything in getting Pip to Melbourne! She’s been home a week and a half now and is doing great! I think she likes Aussie life and is enjoying beach walks and the sunshine!
Pip was much better in herself than expected when I picked her up from the Australian quarantine, the facility seemed well organised and the staff were very nice. Thank you again for making the process so much easier for all of us – our family is now complete!
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Jett flew to Australia June 2023
Oh how happy we are!!
Thankyou Pet Air UK for an amazing service getting our 10 year old Goldie from The UK back to his homeland Australia. Special mentions to Alfie and Kim for keeping us updated when transporting him and to Ali who set us up at the start and for answering my millions of questions and last but definitely not least to Emma our wonderful Export Consultant for her time, patience and expertise, she also answered my millions of questions with promptness and professionalism and kindness. We have loved being kept informed of Jetts whereabouts along the way, everything was clear and concise and the photos you get really do make a difference. We were thankful to know that Jett was healthy and calm during his travels! First class service! Our advice for anyone wanting to transport their pet is – plan early, ask all the questions and definitely choose Pet Air UK!”
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Sonny, Floss and Mylo went to Cairns, Australia
I just wanted to let you know that sonny floss and Mylo have all arrived safely and are with dad in cairns enjoying their new home! I wanted to thank you for your great efforts in helping us to move our fur babies to Australia, I have had nothing but absolute confidence in you and your company and in making it a smooth transition for myself and my husband and our adored pets, your driver was extremely professional and certainly made me feel like he loved my animals as much I do and he was brilliant in what was an extremely emotional time for me, you are both a huge credit to your company and I feel so happy that we used you to take care of everything.
Thank you again, I wish you all the best and would 100% recommend you to anyone thinking of moving their pets overseas.
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Shah and Gus at Perth
Shah & Gus arrived safe and well. They have settled in very quickly.
It was very emotional collecting them at the Airport. Thanks to all at PetAir for taking care of my fur babies.
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Bramble flew to Australia – September 2020
Well, that’s him arrived!
We picked him up this morning – only wrinkle was that the crate still did not fit the car but we can sort that out.
I will get the final bill from the Quarantine folk paid and it only remains for me to say a huge thank you to you and all of your colleagues along the way for getting Bramble here in challenging times and for steering me in the correct direction and mopping my anxious doggy-parent brow on more than one occasion!
Bramble is trying to follow everyone around as he gets used to his new surrounding and his Australian “pack” but I am sure as the days go by he will get settled!
Thanks for everything
Colvin