Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station, Melbourne

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

You can contact the administration office between the hours of 8:00 am to 12.00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

The administration office is closed on weekends and Australian public holidays.

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.

The person listed as the importer, on the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (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 provide written permission for other persons (e.g. family members, friends or pet transport agencies) to act as their agent. An authorised agent can make enquires, visit or collect the animal at the intended release date.

This written permission must be received by the quarantine station before AQIS will permit an agent to visit, collect or request information about an animal.

Due to legislative restrictions, quarantine station staff are unable to discuss any details regarding an animal, other than to confirm the safe arrival at the quarantine station, without the written authorisation of the importer. Any other information about an animal will only be supplied to the importer or their authorised agents.

Once you have received an AQIS import permit, you can book quarantine accommodation for your cat or dog.

You must contact the quarantine station and provide:

• A valid AQIS Import Permit number
• Flight number and date of arrival in Australia
• Contact telephone number
• Details of any special needs your animal may have

You will need to provide an air waybill number closer to your animal's date of departure to confirm the quarantine accommodation booking.

AQIS does not allow imported cats and dogs to travel on domestic flights within Australia. Your cat or dog must arrive into Melbourne on an international flight. If there are no direct international flights from the country of export into Melbourne, contact the AQIS Live Animal Imports Program by telephone +61 2 6272 4454 or by email to discuss flight routes.

The granting of an AQIS import permit does not guarantee a space for your animal as the Australian Quarantine Stations may have availability restrictions.

You must contact the quarantine station to update your Australian contact details prior to the animal's arrival.

If you will not be in Australia during your animal's quarantine period you must provide the quarantine station with the name, address and telephone number/s of a contact person who is based in Australia. AQIS will attempt to contact this person in the event that your animal experiences any feeding or health problems.

A quarantine officer will meet your animal at the airport. You will not be able to visit your animal at the airport.

AQIS recommends that you arrange for your animal to arrive in Australia early in the week. This will assist staff to settle your animal into their accommodation and, if required, arrange prompt veterinary attention for animals with medical conditions.

Animals will not be received on Australian public holidays or weekends.

Please contact the station office for further information on collection hours.

• Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm
• Weekends and Australian public holidays between 9:30 am and 10:30 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 arrive with your animal.

If you are unable to pick up your animal on the release date, you must contact the Quarantine Station prior to the specified release date.

In most cases it is not possible for your animal to stay beyond the designated release date.

Many pet transport companies offer the service of collecting your animal from the Quarantine Station and provide boarding until you are able to take them yourself.

For more information view the pet transport companies worldwide and within Australia website. 

Please be aware that fees are subject to change without notice. It is the responsibility of the client to regularly visit the AQIS website for information on updates or amendments to AQIS fees.

The quarantine invoice will be forwarded to the importer's address as listed on the import permit within approximately seven days of your animal's arrival.

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, ensure that your account is paid in full on a business day prior as payment cannot be taken on weekends.

AQIS can accept payment via EFTPOS, cash, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Payment by bank cheque/draft must be received at least 14 working days prior to your animal's collection. No personal cheques will be accepted.

Animals must be of the same species to share quarantine accommodation. Due to various behavioural, animal safety and occupational health and safety reasons, it is at our discretion to allow animals to share quarantine accommodation.

The animals must be sent from the same household and have the same importer and exporter as listed on the AQIS import permit.

If your animals arrive in Australia on different dates, they will not be able to share accommodation until it has been determined that both animals have met the import requirements.

If one animal is eligible for release from quarantine prior to the other, they must spend a minimum of 30 days together before the animal is released. This may result in one animal spending longer in quarantine than would be required if they were not sharing accommodation.

Due to various behavioural, animal safety and occupational health and safety reasons, it is at the station's discretion to allow animals to share quarantine accommodation.

If your animals are separated you will be charged the full quarantine fees for each animal.

Dogs

Each kennel has an outside run area and enclosed sleeping quarters with heating facilities for the winter months. There are three different kennel sizes and your dog will be allocated an appropriate sized kennel based on their breed and size. The three kennel sizes are:

	Kennel Size 1	Kennel Size 2	Kennel Size 3
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. The first type has an inside are of 0.8 metres by 1.75 metres and an outside area of 0.8 metres by 1.8 metres. The inside area contains a sleeping box, litter tray and food bowls. The second type of cat pen is completely indoors. They are 1.4 metres by 1.8 metres. Heating is provided in the winter months.

Kennels and pens are cleaned daily and disinfected on a regular basis.

Bedding which travels in the crate with your animal is generally soiled and may be destroyed on arrival due to quarantine risk. If you wish to send bedding for your animal's stay in quarantine it should be attached to the outside of the crate.

Alternatively, bedding can be sourced in Australia and sent to us or supplied by you during a visit.

Beanbags and hammock beds are not permitted as a form of bedding.

Your animal will be fed a high quality nutritionally balanced commercial cat or dog food.

It is the importer's responsibility to provide any special dietary requirements, including prescription diets, if required. Food must be sourced in Australia and sent to the station prior to your animal's arrival. Please supply and deliver your pet's Australian sourced food in sufficient quantity to cover the entire quarantine period.

Do not send food with your animal as it will be destroyed upon arrival due to quarantine risk.

Please speak to your animal's attendant if you wish to provide treats, to ensure that your animal is not overfed.

AQIS is not able to reduce the daily animal accommodation fee if importers choose to supply their own food.

You will need to discuss the suitability of toys with your animal's attendant. Suitable toys can be sourced in Australia and sent to the station once the animal has arrived. Avoid sending toys that are easily destroyed by biting or chewing, or are suspended by string, as they are a choking hazard. Tennis balls are not permitted on the station.

Kennels and pens are cleaned daily and disinfected on a regular basis.

You can visit and interact with your animal during the quarantine period. Only two visits to your animal are allowed each week. The visiting periods are:

Visiting periods

Day	Visiting
Monday	NO VISITING
Tuesday	11.00am — 12.00 noon and 1.30pm — 3.30pm
Wednesday	1.30pm — 3.30pm
Thursday	11.00am — 12.00 noon and 1.30pm — 3.30pm
Friday	11.00am — 12.00 noon and 1.30pm — 3.30pm
Saturday	NO VISITING
Sunday	NO VISITING
Australian Public Holidays	NO VISITING

To allow for check in procedures and to give your animal time to settle in, visiting is not permitted on the day of arrival.

Only importers and their authorised agents are allowed to visit the animal whilst in quarantine.

During the visiting hours 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.

Visitors who are unwilling to comply with directions of AQIS staff may be refused future entry.

You are welcome to use the grooming room to groom your dog/s during the quarantine period, or you can arrange for a professional groomer to attend on your behalf. All private grooming services are at the importer's expense.

The grooming room is available strictly by appointment only. Importers are restricted to a total of 2 x 30 minute appointments per week. All appointments must be made 24 hours in advance.

Your dog must have been inspected by an AQIS veterinarian, and all paperwork audited before you can make a grooming room appointment.

AQIS recommends that you arrange professional grooming of long or thick haired dogs. If a dog arrives in a matted condition or is difficult to groom, it is the responsibility of the importer to arrange for professional grooming services.

You are welcome to use the exercise yards to exercise your dogs during the quarantine period, or you can arrange for a professional dog walker to attend on your behalf. All private dog walking services are at the importer's expense.

Exercise yards are available for your use during visiting hours. Bookings are not required.

An AQIS veterinarian must examine your dog and audit the import documentation before your dog is permitted in the exercise yards. This is usually completed within 72 hours from your dog's arrival at the animal quarantine station.

Staff will endeavour to exercise your dog twice a week if you are unable to visit. It is the discretion of the station manager if animals can be exercised during wet or extreme weather.

An AQIS veterinary officer will examine your animal within three days of the animal's arrival at the quarantine station. While AQIS' veterinarians will examine your animal for signs of exotic disease or quarantine concerns, the quarantine station does not have a resident veterinarian.  A private (non–AQIS) veterinarian can be called to the quarantine station to examine and treat animals suffering from mild illness or injury.

A Private Veterinary Attendance and Treatment Declaration form must be completed at the time you submit your import permit application. This form gives AQIS the authorisation to seek veterinary services for your animal during the quarantine period, if required. It also allows you to nominate a private veterinarian of your choice. If you do not have a private veterinarian AQIS will contact one on your behalf.

If AQIS staff become concerned that your animal may require veterinary attention, the station will make every attempt to contact you. However, in the event of an emergency, the station will not delay in obtaining veterinary care for your animal should you be unreachable.

Private veterinary fees are not included in your quarantine fees. If a private veterinarian provides consultation for your animal, they will invoice you separately. The payment of all costs and expenses associated with attendances and treatment by a private veterinarian is the responsibility of the importer.

All fees due to the private veterinarian must be paid before we will release your animal from 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.

You must inform AQIS if your animal has any medical conditions when you apply for an import permit. If your animal has been diagnosed with a medical condition after the import permit has been granted, please notify the quarantine station as soon as possible. This will ensure that the welfare and medical requirements of your animal are met whilst in our care.

You must also advise the station if your animal has any medical/special requirements when you make the animal's quarantine booking.

All animals entering Australia must meet the AQIS import conditions and be certified as fit to travel and undergo Australian quarantine before leaving the country of export.

AQIS staff will administer most kinds of medication to your animal while it is in quarantine.

If your animal is on any kind of prescription medication, you must submit a letter from your animal's veterinarian 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 animal.

AQIS will only administer medication that has been clearly labelled with the animal's name, owner's surname, name of the medication, dose rate, frequency rate, route of administration e.g. oral, topical, ear or eye drops, and the medication expiry date.

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 can not be released from the quarantine station.

Any imported 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 you determine whether 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. The veterinarian can then prescribe appropriate medication for your animal.

Medication can only be administered between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, seven days a week. Medication cannot be administered outside these hours. These are not the hours that the quarantine station is open for general visiting of animals.

If your animal requires the administration of medication outside the station's medicating hours e.g. diabetic/epileptic animals, you should discuss alternative treatment intervals with the animal's veterinarian prior to import into Australia.

Australian veterinarians recommend regular external parasite treatment of cats and dogs.

Your animal will be treated for external parasites following the last date of treatment prior to import, in accordance with manufacturer's directions, throughout the quarantine period.

Animals that undergo a longer quarantine period will be re–treated on a monthly basis. Additional treatments will be applied to individual animals showing signs of active parasite infestation during the quarantine period.

External parasite treatments are applied at the importer's expense.

Heartworm disease is endemic in Australia. Its occurrence varies widely in different areas of Australia. Heartworm is caused by the microorganism Dirofilaria immitis and is spread by mosquitoes.

No testing or treatment for heartworm is required for your dog to be eligible for import. Preventative treatment can be provided or arranged through a private veterinarian, at the importer's expense.

AQIS' role is to administer the Quarantine Act 1908. AQIS' primarily concern is to manage the quarantine risk associated with imported goods, including animals. It is the importer's responsibility to investigate local animal health recommendations and council registration requirements upon the animal's release from quarantine. Your local veterinary hospital, animal shelter or council may be able to assist you with this information.

Dog accommodation

Dog exercise yard

 

Cat accommodation

 

Professional and friendly staff