Travelling with Pet From India To Australia

Travelling with Pet From India To Australia

Pet Relocation from India to Australia

Pet relocation from India to Australia is not available directly because of the latter’s strict biosecurity rules. You will need a mid-country for it, as India falls in a non-approved country. Direct pet imports from highly rabies-prone countries are not allowed in Australia. Here is an elaborate method to transport your pet to Australia in a few simple steps.

 How to Book Flights?

  • India is a non-approved country; therefore, direct pet travel from India to Australia is not allowed.
  • Your pet needs to first travel in Group 2 or Group 3 countries, like Singapore, the Netherlands, the USA, etc., and reside there continuously for 180 days before traveling to Australia. 
  • Consult your airline about the pet travel from India to the mid-country (here I am taking the example of the Netherlands) you are planning to go to, and take details of the flight that is pet-friendly, and then book your tickets on the same flight, as online pet booking is not available.
  • After residing in the mid-country for 180 days, you may book your flight tickets from your mid-country to Australia in the same way.
  • Please note that only Melbourne Airport has a quarantine facility; therefore, if you are traveling to Australia with your pet, you need to book your flights to Melbourne as your destination port.
  • Many airlines, like KLM, Lufthansa, etc., are pet-friendly airlines that you can book for travel.
  • Make sure to buy IATA-approved crates

Pets That Cannot Travel to Australia

  • Few breeds like Fila Brasileiro, Pit bull, Japanese Tosa etc  are not allowed
  • Any dog that is a hybrid is not allowed
  • Hybrid cats are also prohibited.
  • Pregnant pets are banned from traveling to Australia.
  • Your pet should be at least 8 weeks old to travel

Gist of the Entire Process

  • As mentioned above, you need to first book the flights from India to the mid-country (like the Netherlands) and complete all the documentation required for that country.
  • For example, from India to the Netherlands, the process is easy and quite simple, as it needs only basic requirements. Visit https://hobbsgo.com/pet-travel-for-international-trips-on-airplane/ to understand the basic requirements that will be needed to travel from India to the Netherlands.
  • After staying in the mid-country for 180 days continuously, you can now finally book tickets to Australia and prepare the documents required for Australia 
  • Your pet will be quarantined in Australia for 10 days. It is a mandatory process.

Documents Required From India To the Netherlands/Your Selected Mid-Country

From India to the Netherlands, you will need basic documents for your pet, like

Microchipping

Your pet needs to be microchipped. To know more about it, visit: microchip

Rabies test 

Your pet should be vaccinated after microchipping against rabies with an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine.

Other Vaccinations:

For dogs: Hepatitis, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. 

For cats: Feline Panleukopenia, Feline rhinotracheitis, Feline Calcivirus.

RNATT Test

  • A blood sample for the RNATT must be drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
  • It must be tested at an EU-approved laboratory.
  • There is a waiting period of 180 days after the blood sample arrives at the lab for the test result before your pet is eligible to enter Australia. It can be easily covered during your residency in mid-country. Make sure that there is a strict 3-month (90-day) waiting period after RNATT results; then only your pet is eligible to enter the Netherlands (check the rules of your selected mid-country).

Tapeworm Treatment

Your pet should be externally and internally dewormed within 5 days before your departure.

Health Card

A health card can be made by a licensed veterinarian in India. It must then be endorsed by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS) in India.

Your health card should be EU-aligned. 

The health certificate is typically valid for 10 days from the date of official endorsement for entry into the Netherlands.

Non-Commercial Declaration

You must write a written declaration stating that your pet movement is non-commercial and you are the owner of the pet. You need to show your ownership through your passport copy and travel tickets.

NOC from India AQCS

  • You need to book an appointment at the AQCS office in India through email. Then have to visit it, which is located in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. 
  • Your pet, documents, pictures, etc, will be thoroughly checked by the AQCS officer. It should be done within 10 days of your departure.

 

Upon Arrival in Your Selected Mid-country

  • It is important to check what the entry ports are in your selected country. You cannot select any airport in a country when traveling with a pet.
  • In the case of the Netherlands, you need to book flights to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
  • You must declare your pet to Customs upon arrival. They will check your pet and the documents. 
  • There will be no quarantine required if your pet qualifies for a pass.

Traveling From Your Selected Mid-Country To Australia

  • After completing 180 days of continuous residency in your selected area, you can finally go to Australia. For that, you will need the documents that are mentioned above that you have carried from India to your selected mid-country:
    • Microchip (It will be verified again for the Australian leg of your journey.)
    • Vaccinations
    • Rabies titer test
    • Health card EU approved

While you will be in your mid-country, you need to get all the documents required for Australia, like:

Australian Import Permit

You must apply for and obtain the Australian Import permit from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) via their BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions) system before your pet travels to Australia.

Visit:https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/online-services/bicon/bicon-permit for more precise details.

EU Pet Passport

While living in the Netherlands, you can apply for an EU pet passport from a Dutch veterinarian. This passport will become the primary record for all subsequent vaccinations, treatments, and examinations performed in the Netherlands.

Tapeworm Treatment:

Internal and external treatment of tapeworm should be done again within 5 days of your departure.

Pre-Export Clinical Examination Certificate

In the Netherlands, NVWA issues an examination certificate for your pet stating whether your pet is healthy enough to travel or not. It should be done within 5 days of export. 

Veterinary Health Certificate 

It is the final and comprehensive health certificate that is stamped by the NVWA office. This specific form is provided by DAFF within your import permit. 

Quarantine Booking

  • You need to book your quarantine space at Mickleham after you have received your import permit from the DAFF and before your pet travels.
  • Without this, you will not be allowed to travel to Australia. 
  • It is important to note that a 10-day quarantine is mandatory in Australia, and you cannot meet your pet during that time.

Upon Reaching Australia

When you reach Australia, a DAFF biosecurity officer will take your pet for customs and check it thoroughly, after which it is then sent to Mickleham for a minimum 10-day quarantine. After that, you can collect your pet and crate from Mickleham. 

Please check these government websites for better understanding:

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs/how-to-import/step-by-step-guides

https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/travel-netherlands/taking-pet-netherlands

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