Preparing your pet for export can be a complicated and daunting process, and it is important to do it correctly. Delays to their departure can occur if steps are not completed properly. If an animal fails to meet importing country requirements, it may be detained on arrival.
Each country has their own health requirements for importing animals. These can be complex and have been known to change without notice. We keep updated information on Importing Country Requirements and can guide you through this, step by step.
It is the responsibility of the exporter – or their agent – to provide the importing country requirements to the registered veterinarian that will prepare a pet for export.
We work together with pet travel specialists to help with some or all pre-export preparations. Some airlines, such as Qantas, insist that pets travelling to or from Australia must be booked through a pet travel specialist. The agents ensure compliance with origin, transit point and destination quarantine requirements, vet checks, licences or permits, as well as coordinate the correct crate and assist with required documentation for your pet to travel safely.
Quarantine obligations.
Check with us for more information on the relevant conditions and documentation that you’ll need before your pet’s travel.
You do not need an export licence to export animals other than livestock overseas, however you will need to meet extra requirements if you are exporting some animals, such as:
– animals listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
– Australian native animals not listed on the CITES list.
You may need an import permit for some countries. The permit will specify the health requirements you must meet. You may need to arrange testing, treatments, examinations, and pre-export isolation.
Your pet needs to be fit, healthy and able to cope with being confined for an extended period of time, before being granted an airline booking. For this reason, we recommend talking to your vet and having an assessment carried out before booking any travel arrangements. You’ll need a vet certificate stating your pet is healthy enough to fly if they are older than 12 years.
Airlines will not accept your pet for international travel if:
– A puppy or kitten is less than 12 weeks old;
– A pet appears sedated, unwell, injured, heavily pregnant or aggressive.
If are exporting horses or other livestock, these are handled differently to pets, and we can provide specific information on these.
Our team at Colless Young are experienced in the safe preparation and transport of pets to many destinations around the globe.
For more information about the air shipment of animals, including pets, horses and livestock, contact us here at Colless Young. Talk to Andrew, Tel: +61 7 3890 0800 email enq@collessyoung.com.au .
