Byford Animal Quarantine Station
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- Importer responsibility
- Byford contact details
- Location
- Office hours
- Animal arrivals
- Fees
- Animal departures
- Animal accommodation
- Visiting hours
- Exercise
- Medicating animals whilst in quarantine
- Photographs of Byford Quarantine Station
Importer responsibility
The person listed as the importer, on the AQIS import permit, is classified as the owner and is responsible for the animal during the quarantine period, the release of the animal from quarantine and all associated fees.
The importer may authorise other persons; 'agents' (e.g. family members, friends, pet transport agencies, etc.) by written permission to make enquires, visit or collect the animal at its intended release date.
This written permission must to be forwarded to the animal quarantine station before any visitation rights or information about the animal to 'agents' will be granted.
Information regarding the safe arrival of an animal at the animal quarantine station may be given out to the exporter or pet transport agent that transported the animal to Australia. Any other information regarding an animal will only be given out to the importer or their authorised 'agents'.
Byford contact details
Postal Address: PO Box 61, Byford, WA 6122
Physical Address: 106 Nettleton Road, Byford, WA 6122
Phone: +61 8 9525 1763
Fax: +61 8 9526 2199
Email
Location
The Byford Animal Quarantine Station is located 37 kilometres south of Perth, opposite Old Brickworks Road and next door to the Cohunu Wildlife Park. A location map can be viewed at Google maps.
Office Hours
The administration office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The office is closed on weekends and Australian public holidays.
Animal arrivals
You will not be able to visit your animal at the airport. A contracted courier will collect your animal from the airport.
Animals cannot be collected from the airport Monday to Friday between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 am. Please contact the station office for further information on collection hours.
Animals will not be received on Australian public holidays or weekends.
Fees
The quarantine invoice will be forwarded to the importer's address, as listed on the AQIS import permit within approximately 7 days of your animal's arrival. If your postal address and/or contact information has changed since you received your AQIS import permit, you must contact the animal quarantine station to update your records.
Your account must be paid before we will release your animal. If your animal is due for release on a weekend or an Australian public holiday, please ensure that your account is paid in full on a business day prior, as payment cannot be taken on these days.
AQIS can accept payment via EFTPOS, cash, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Payment by bank cheque must be received at least 14 working days prior to collection. No personal cheques will be accepted.
Animal departures
- Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 11:00 am
- Weekends and Australian public holidays between 8:30 am to 9:30 am
The animal will only be released to the importer or their authorised agent. This authority must be arranged with the quarantine station prior to the collection of the animal.
Photo identification must be presented at the time of release.
Transport crates are the property of the importer; it is the importer's responsibility to collect the crate with the animal. Any crates that are not collected will be disposed of.
Due to the large number of animals at the station, AQIS cannot guarantee the return of belongings that arrived with your animal.
Animal accommodation
The animal quarantine station may use its discretion to separate animals at any time.
Dogs
Kennels are constructed of brick and mesh with galvanised mesh enclosures. Each kennel is 6.0 metres long by 2.3 metres wide with enclosed sleeping quarters that are 2.0 metres long by 2.3 metres wide.
A variety of beds and bedding are available.
A sprinkler system provides evaporative cooling during the summer months.
Cats
Each pen is 1.2 metres wide by 1.8 metres long and 2.3 metres high. They are a modern design, vertically oriented with an individual 'lookout' on the roof of the cattery. All sleeping boxes can be heated if required.
Kennels and pens are cleaned daily and disinfected on a regular basis.
Visiting hours
- Monday—between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm
- Tuesday—between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm
- Wednesday—no visiting allowed
- Thursday—no visiting allowed
- Friday—between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm
- Weekends/ Australian public holidays—no visiting allowed
It is best to allow your animal at least 24 hours to settle after arrival before you visit.
During your visit you will be allowed in your animal's enclosure. Animals are not permitted to go out of their kennel unless you are using the exercise yards.
Only the importer is allowed to visit the animal whilst in quarantine. The importer can submit written permission for other persons 'agents' to visit the animal. Please refer to the Importers Responsibility section at the top of the page.
During visits you will be allowed in your animal's enclosure. Animals are not permitted to go out of their kennel unless you are using the exercise yards.
If you are unable to visit your animal during its quarantine period please notify the station and they will arrange an exercise program.
Visitors must wear fully enclosed footwear at all times.
Exercise
Exercise yards are available during visiting hours. Exercising of animals is strictly by appointment only.
30 minute sessions can be booked on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 11.30 am or 12 noon. Appointments must be arranged with the quarantine station office 48 hours in advance.
You are welcome to visit in the kennel during visiting hours and grooming rooms can be booked.
Please note that all animals must be seen by an AQIS veterinarian and all paperwork must be audited before dogs are permitted in the exercise yards. This is usually completed within 72 hours from your animal's arrival at the station.
It is the discretion of the station manager if animals can be exercised during inclement or extremely hot weather.
Medicating animals whilst in quarantine
AQIS discourages, on welfare grounds, the importation of chronically ill animals.
Importers should take into account the age and condition of their animals as well as travel and climatic stress when deciding to export their animals to Australia.
If your animal has a history of any medical conditions or requires medication (e.g. diabetes or epilepsy) contact the relevant quarantine station to discuss this with an AQIS officer or veterinarian, prior to submitting an import permit application. This medical condition should also be specified at the time of submission of your import permit application.
If your animal is on any kind of prescription medication a letter from your animal's veterinarian must be submitted with your import permit application. This letter must outline your animal's medical history, the type of medication required and the dosage rate. AQIS staff will administer medication to your animal.
AQIS does not supply medication.
Due to Australian legislative requirements and the potential quarantine risk associated with imported veterinary medication, any medication that arrives with your animal is unable to be released from the quarantine station.
This medication will be destroyed following the release of your animal. This applies to all medications, even those that may be commercially available in Australia. As such, you should only send medication in a sufficient quantity as required to treat your animal during their stay in quarantine.
AQIS recommends that you check that your animal's current medication is available in Australia. If your animal's medication is not available in Australia, you may wish to consider changing their medication to an equivalent one that is available in Australia.
You should arrange for a private veterinarian in Australia to examine your animal either during his/ her quarantine period or after the animal is released. Your veterinarian can then prescribe appropriate medication for your animal.
Medication can only be administered between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm—7 days a week. There is no medication administered outside these hours.
These are NOT the hours that the quarantine station is open to the public.
Importers of animals that require the administration of therapeutics (eg. Diabetic/ epileptic animals) outside the medication hours should discuss alternative treatment intervals with the animal’s veterinarian prior to importation to Australia.
If attendance is required after hours in the case of an emergency, additional overtime charges will apply.
Photographs of Byford Quarantine Station
Photographs of the dog and cat accommodation can be found in the attached document (PDF or Word)