Importing my dog to Melbourne from Canada

We're moving to Melbourne in about 6 months and I want to bring our 18 month old wheaten x poodle with me. I've been looking at the immigration forms for Australia and they mention having to have a "government approved" vet perform all the tests. I can't find what this would be over here in Toronto.

Has anyone done this before and can they give me any advice? Also has anyone had their pet in quarrantine in Melbourne? Is it ok?

Thanks!

Hi, I moved my 3 cats with me to Australia last Dec. It is a very involved process so I hired a pet exporter to get me through the red tape. If you don't get it right Australia is one of the most difficult places to import your pets so you have to get the paperwork right.

Gov't approved Vets you need to talk to your vet and they should be able to tell you who would be able to sign this off. Your own vet needs to sign off the paperwork anyway. If they don't know try Worldwide Animal Travel, they are out of Vancouver and I used them for transporting my cats, they were great, they may be able to point you in the right direction to find out who in Ontario can do the paperwork.

My cats were at Eastern Creek near Sydney, but I understand that the Melbourne quarantine station is a bit more relaxed for visiting your pets. I was only allowed to visit mine 2 a week.

I think its tougher on the owner than the pet while they are in quarantine.

Good Luck, I am glad my guys came with me!

I might be a bit late on this one, but I recently had my cat sent from Toronto to Melbourne. She went with Air Canada to LAX and then with Qantas.

I hired a shipper. There are policy and procedures in place that must be followed in order to satisfy the Quarantine and Inspection Services.

While a bit of pain, the cost is worth it to provide your beloved pet a seamless trip.

Expect to pay about 2400$ cad excluding the rabies titer, the kennel and resealing of the crate in LAX.

Once there AQIS picks up your pet at the airport and takes it to the station, where it will be checked by a vet. The staff at Spotswood are very approachable and do love animals.

Bear in mind that one needs approximately 2 months to set up everthing; dogs need to be booked in a station as soon as the permit is issued way in advance of cats, as space is limited.

Here is a link with pet shippers worldwide:

ipata (dot) com

Has anyone used jetpets? I'm trying to find a company to ship my cat from Toronto to Sydney and I'm completely lost on what company I should use. I want to make sure it's a reputable company that will ensure that my cat has the safest trip and he's taken care of during the very long flight.

Because of a lengthy stopover in LAX, my cat was required to be checked upon by a local pet shipper and it was JetPets. They made sure she was on the flight to Melbourne too.

I have heard great things about JetPets and wouldn't hesitate to use them. The shipper I hired in Toronto consisted of a couple; the husband was a bit of an a-hole when I inquired if they had insurance and he launched into an insulting tirade how it would be impossible to sue them if something went wrong and that I was a lowly bank teller (his wife knew I was in banking yet in investment banking) who couldn't possibly understand how a business was run. I got the impression that he felt he was doing me a favour....Heh. I was just inquiring on the legitimacy of their business! In short, I had a mixed experience with 'best Boarding' and although the wife got the job done, I wouldn't give them any more business and I still have a dog to ship, but if you check the ipata dot com there is a list of congenial and experienced pet shippers that would love and appreciate your business.


Btw, here is the link for all info and permit application. You must get a rabies titer test (about 200$), have all your pet's inoculations up to date, (titer is usually sent to University of Kansas and there is a month turn around time... ) ; after you receive the results you must take the application form and the rabies titer results to be stamped by a Gov't of Cda Vet and then you fax or email the docs to Canberra.

www daff gov au/aqis/cat-dogs/application

Thanks for your reply peaches. So far, I've gotten the titer test and just the other day my vet called and said that they will be couriering the results to me. It's only been a couple of weeks so I'm not sure if it was sent to Kansas? Where do I get it stamped by a gov't of Canada vet? This is all a very confusing process to me!

I got a quote the other day from jetpets and it's going to cost me $3450 to get my cat over to Sydney (and that's not including the $1050 quarantine fee). It's crazy expensive! Can you or anyone recommend any other company that can provide this service for less money? I'm willing to fork out the dough if need be but I want to shop around for sure.

Hi

You might try Lyon Petmobile or Nobleton Boarding. I recall I got quotes from both but they are on my other laptop back in Canada.

Make sure the quote is itemized for everything that the shipper does, including the airfare. Some will jack up the fee by a few hundred if they can. Their job is to make yours easier. Also, the cost can equal the price of an economy ticket... oh yeah.

The more you do on your own, the less it will cost you. Take care of the Gov't of Canada Vet yourself (Agriculture Canada). I believe they used to be in Richmond Hill and are in Markham. You will take the ORIGINAL titer results plus the filled out app and the most current rabies cert and they will stamp it. The shipper can advise you on the final process, as you/he/she will have to visit an approved Gov't vet again to sign off the health cert. That was 20$ cad.

The only direct flight to Sydney from Canada is via Vancouver. Your cat would have to fly with Air Crap er Air Canada from Toronto to Vancouver and then directly to Sydney. The cat will stay overnight at a special facility for animals. It gives the animal to relax. The cat will be viewed by a vet and administered a flea/worm application. Then the crate will be sealed and signed off by a vet. The seal must stay on the animals' crate until it arrives to it's destination.
Upon arrival, AQIS then picks up your cat and takes it to their facilities. Minimum is 30 days stay. Bear in mind that you need 180 days from the results of the titer to have the kitty in for 30 days. If you were to ship her, for example, in 150 days (5 mos) then cat would be in quarantine for 60 days.

Animals are very resilient, unlike humans at times. My cat was taken well care of and they even called a vet when she was vomiting up her food. Turns out that she was surrounded by kennels on either side, the other cats can see each other, so it was deemed she was eating too fast lest the others get to her tucker first!

I would strongly advise for you to be sure you can and want to live in OZ for a long time, if not forever. It's a helluva flight for humans ( I take 3 flights if going through the US cuz it's cheaper and I hate to fly AC, but Cathay is a sweet ride too and direct to HK from Toronto) so it wouldn't be fair to the animal to have it shipped back in 6 months.

I shipped my cat here without the assistance of a shipper.... if anyone needs any advice I am pretty comfortable with the process after many hours of studying the import papers. If you call the AQUIS office they are also very good to answer questions.

April

HELP!!

I am moving to Sydney in the next few months and I need to bring my dog Lucy with us. I am lost in all the paperwork and the expense is really stressing me out .

I would love to hire a pet traveller BUT the cost is too much. I have been looking for a government official Vet to start the process

One of my big questions is - can I move to Australia in August and have my dog come after me say October?? I am worried she will be in quarrantine for too long, I didnt realize the time involved. (August 2010 is the tentative move depending on Visa)

I could start the process now and then have my friend in Ontario take her to the airport??

Please advise

Any help is appreciated.

J

Hi,

Not sure if you have started the process and wonder if you know that the offical government vet CANNOT endorse the Titre test and declaration form started from 28 June 2010. I called the CFIA and emailed AQIS, so far nothing cannot be continued until the negotiations have been finalized. Apparently, the side causing the problem is somebody in CFIA.

I am so frustrated because I planned to leave with my cat in October and my cat will have stayed enough time here by end of August, thus he only has to stay in quarantine for 30 days.

All other things which I have to deal with before I leave the country have to be stopped as I don't know when I can leave for Oz.

BTW, if your papers have been endorsed before 28 June, everything will be fine.