Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station
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- Importer responsibility
- Contact details
- Location
- Office hours
- Animal arrivals
- Fees
- Animal departures
- Animal accommodation
- Visiting hours
- Exercise
- Medicating animals whilst in quarantine
- Photographs of Spotswood 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 agent.
Contact details
Postal Address: PO Box 1079, Newport VIC 3015
Physical Address: 43-47 Craig Street, Spotswood VIC 3015
Phone: +61 3 9391 1627
Fax: +61 3 9391 0860
Email: Spotswood.Quarantine@aqis.gov.au
Location
The Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station is located approximately 12 kilometres west of central Melbourne and approximately 25 kilometres from the Melbourne Airport. The Spotswood railway station is about 400 metres from the front gate. A location map can be viewed at Google maps.
Office hours
The administration office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 midday and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
The office is closed on public holidays.
Animal arrivals
You will not be able to visit your animal at the Airport. Your pet will be met at the airport by a quarantine officer.
Animals cannot be collected from the airport Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00 pm and 6:00 am. Please contact the administration office for further information on collection hours or regarding airport collections outside these 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 prior to the release of your animal. If your animal is due for release on a weekend or Australian public holiday, please ensure that your account is paid in full on a business day prior, as payment cannot be taken on a weekend.
AQIS can accept payment via EFTPOS, cash, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Payment by bank cheque/draft must be received at least 14 days prior to collection. No personal cheques will be accepted.
Animal departures
- Monday to Friday between 8:00 am to 12:00 midday or 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
- Weekends and Public Holidays between 9:30 am to 10:30 am
The animal will only be released once the account has been paid in full.
Photo identification must be presented at the time of release.
The animal will only be released to the importer or their authorised agent. This authority must be arranged with the animal 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 considered forfeit to the Commonwealth of Australia and will be disposed of.
Due to the large number of animals at the animal quarantine station, AQIS cannot guarantee the return of belongings that arrive with your animal.
Animal accommodation
The animal quarantine station may use its discretion to separate animals at any time.
Dogs
Each dog kennel has an outside run area and enclosed sleeping quarters with heating facilities for the winter months. Dog pens come in three sizes and your pet will be allocated a pen based on their breed and the number of dogs sharing a pen. The three sizes are:
| Sleeping quarters | 1.5m x 1.5m | 1.7m x 1.2m | 1.9m x 1.5m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside run | 1.5m x 4.5m | 1.7m x 7.4m | 1.9m x 7.3m |
Cats
There are two types of cat pens at the Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station. The first type has an inside (0.8m x 1.75m) and an outside area (0.8m x 1.8m). The inside area contains a sleeping box, litter tray and food bowls. The second type of cat pen is completely indoors. They are 1.4m x 1.8m. Heating is provided in the winter months.
Kennels and pens are cleaned daily and disinfected on a regular basis.
Visiting hours
Only two visits to your animal/s are allowed each week. The visiting periods are:
- Monday—between 10.30 am to 12.00 midday or between 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm
- Tuesday—between 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm
- Wednesday—no visiting allowed
- Thursday—between 10.30 am to 12.00 midday or between 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm
- Friday—between 10.30 am to 12.00 midday or between 1.00 pm to 4.00 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.
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 beginning of this document.
During your visit you will be allowed in your animal's enclosure. Animals are not permitted to go out of their kennel unless they are entering the exercise yards.
Visitors must wear fully enclosed footwear at all times.
Exercise
Exercise yards are available for your use during visiting hours. Bookings are not required. Please note that your pet's paperwork must be audited before your dog is permitted in the exercise yards. This is usually completed within 72 hours from your pet's arrival at the animal quarantine station.
Staff will endeavour to exercise your animal/s twice a week if you are unable to visit. It is the discretion of the station manager if animals can be exercised during inclement 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/ 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. Quarantine staff will administer medication to your pet.
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 pet 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 animal quarantine station is open to the public.
Importers of animals that require the administration of therapeutics (e.g. 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 Spotswood Quarantine Station
Dog accommodation
Cat accommodation
Professional and friendly staff
