Australia and pet dog / cat import
May 14, 2015, 10:21 am
#1
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Australia and pet dog / cat import
The May 2015 unlawful import of two Yorkshire terriers from the USA by actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to Australia's Gold Coast on their private hired jet almost went unnoticed - until the salon they were taken to for grooming posted their photos on their Facebook page.
The couple were visited by biosecurity police and required to immediately quarantine the two Yorkies and arrange for their export within 72 hours, or they (the dogs) would be euthanized. Link to BBC article.
So:
See http://www.agriculture.gov.au/cats-dogs
And a step-by-step guide here: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/cats-d...guide-for-dogs
Depp and his wife Amber Heard are accused of not declaring Yorkshire Terriers Boo and Pistol to customs officials when they flew into Queensland by private jet last month.
So:
Can you take your dog to Australia?
• Yes, but only if it came from an approved country, is not pregnant and is not a banned breed or domestic/non-domestic hybrid
• The dog must first be fully vaccinated and microchipped before it can get an import permit
• Within 45 days of travel it has to test clear for diseases including Ehrlichia canis, Leptospirosis, rabies and parasites
• Five days before travel it must be health-checked by a government-approved vet in the export country
• On arrival it must go into government quarantine for a minimum of 10 days on arrival, longer if it is seen as coming from a riskier country or it shows signs of ill-health
• Private jets are subject to the same regulations as any other vessel or aircraft
Source: Australian Department of Agriculture
• Yes, but only if it came from an approved country, is not pregnant and is not a banned breed or domestic/non-domestic hybrid
• The dog must first be fully vaccinated and microchipped before it can get an import permit
• Within 45 days of travel it has to test clear for diseases including Ehrlichia canis, Leptospirosis, rabies and parasites
• Five days before travel it must be health-checked by a government-approved vet in the export country
• On arrival it must go into government quarantine for a minimum of 10 days on arrival, longer if it is seen as coming from a riskier country or it shows signs of ill-health
• Private jets are subject to the same regulations as any other vessel or aircraft
Source: Australian Department of Agriculture
And a step-by-step guide here: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/cats-d...guide-for-dogs
May 14, 2015, 3:27 pm
#2
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My only hope is that the international shitstorm and bad press this incident has generated will spark a debate and eventually lead to Australia revamping its policies.
Current procedures to visit that country with a service animal are unnecessarily bureaucratic and extremely costly. Short-notice business travel is impossible.
Personally, I avoid travel to Australia (and New Zealand, which has similar restrictions and even higher costs for the permits) for this reason.
Current procedures to visit that country with a service animal are unnecessarily bureaucratic and extremely costly. Short-notice business travel is impossible.
Personally, I avoid travel to Australia (and New Zealand, which has similar restrictions and even higher costs for the permits) for this reason.
May 14, 2015, 5:07 pm
#3
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Australia is also very picky about the import of food, etc. Their agricultural industry is important and as an island, they can impose strict controls and enforce them effectively. It's their right to prevent the importation of diseases from abroad; visitors have a responsibility to learn and obey the rules--or they should not attempt to visit Australia.
OT, but there are also strict rules about the import of pharmaceuticals. Some substances that are OTC elsewhere are banned in Australia. Again, it's the traveler's responsibility to "know before you go."
OT, but there are also strict rules about the import of pharmaceuticals. Some substances that are OTC elsewhere are banned in Australia. Again, it's the traveler's responsibility to "know before you go."
May 17, 2015, 12:33 am
#4
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So a superstar breaks the law and you think it is ok because it is a bad law?
If he wasn't who he is then he would also be fined several thousand dollars and be very closely scrutinised every time he passed through an Australian airport.
As also mentioned in this thread the bio-security laws are there for very good reasons.
If he wasn't who he is then he would also be fined several thousand dollars and be very closely scrutinised every time he passed through an Australian airport.
As also mentioned in this thread the bio-security laws are there for very good reasons.
May 26, 2015, 4:45 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 134
. We have no children, are early retired, and just have one very precious (yes, know its our fault that he is precious) Boston Terrier.With the updated UK import rules, its not too problematic to take our doglet to UK (one anti rabies shot 21 days before date of travel , plus other bits such as microchip, but thats already done since a puppy), but to bring him back to AUS, currently requires further anti-rabies shots, starting 6 mths before his date of travel (bearing in mind he will have had an anti rabies shot just to leave Aus). I am 100% respectful of the Aussie import rules, but to confine our dog in quarentine for 10 days minimum on our return to Aus is just not ok.
Consequently I am going to fly over to UK, leaving husband and doglet behind in Aus.
Heigh ho.
May 26, 2015, 4:54 am
#6
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My only hope is that the international shitstorm and bad press this incident has generated will spark a debate and eventually lead to Australia revamping its policies.
Current procedures to visit that country with a service animal are unnecessarily bureaucratic and extremely costly. Short-notice business travel is impossible.
Personally, I avoid travel to Australia (and New Zealand, which has similar restrictions and even higher costs for the permits) for this reason.
Current procedures to visit that country with a service animal are unnecessarily bureaucratic and extremely costly. Short-notice business travel is impossible.
Personally, I avoid travel to Australia (and New Zealand, which has similar restrictions and even higher costs for the permits) for this reason.
Australia has a good record of avoiding pests and diseases that are common in other countries, and if it means that they lose a couple of dollars from foreigners who can't take "short-notice business travel" because people can't bring their service animals in then good on them.
Sorry, no sympathy for you here.
May 28, 2015, 1:07 pm
#7
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Oh, I could not agree more. Currently in situation that may require us to relocate from AUS to UK to care for very elderly parents for an undetermined time - but probably no more than 12 mths or so . We have no children, are early retired, and just have one very precious (yes, know its our fault that he is precious) Boston Terrier.
With the updated UK import rules, its not too problematic to take our doglet to UK (one anti rabies shot 21 days before date of travel , plus other bits such as microchip, but thats already done since a puppy), but to bring him back to AUS, currently requires further anti-rabies shots, starting 6 mths before his date of travel (bearing in mind he will have had an anti rabies shot just to leave Aus). I am 100% respectful of the Aussie import rules, but to confine our dog in quarentine for 10 days minimum on our return to Aus is just not ok.
Consequently I am going to fly over to UK, leaving husband and doglet behind in Aus.
Heigh ho.
. We have no children, are early retired, and just have one very precious (yes, know its our fault that he is precious) Boston Terrier.With the updated UK import rules, its not too problematic to take our doglet to UK (one anti rabies shot 21 days before date of travel , plus other bits such as microchip, but thats already done since a puppy), but to bring him back to AUS, currently requires further anti-rabies shots, starting 6 mths before his date of travel (bearing in mind he will have had an anti rabies shot just to leave Aus). I am 100% respectful of the Aussie import rules, but to confine our dog in quarentine for 10 days minimum on our return to Aus is just not ok.
Consequently I am going to fly over to UK, leaving husband and doglet behind in Aus.
Heigh ho.
May 29, 2015, 10:24 am
#8
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The UK is still a rabies-free country, despite those "updated import rules" - which, incidentally, were put into effect VERY reluctantly and with great pressure from Brussels to finally adhere to common EU law... All those doomsayers who were painting apocalyptic scenarios were proven wrong. BTW, Switzerland and much larger and much more populated Germany are rabies-free countries as well, despite liberal-in-comparison pet import regulations.
I also know Australians who don't travel because getting their pets back into Australia is so complicated and costly.
I can understand the whole thing when animals are imported from parts of the world with endemic rabies - but the UK? Why not treat all rabies-free countries the same as New Zealand?
I also know Australians who don't travel because getting their pets back into Australia is so complicated and costly.
I can understand the whole thing when animals are imported from parts of the world with endemic rabies - but the UK? Why not treat all rabies-free countries the same as New Zealand?