Category 1: New Zealand: No Australian quarantine period

Residency:

Cats and dogs must have been continuously resident in New Zealand for 90 days immediately prior to export, or since direct importation from Australia or since birth.

Cats and dogs must not have been in quarantine or under quarantine restrictions in the 60 days immediately prior to export.

Age:

Cats and dogs must be at least eight (8) weeks old at the time of export.

Pregnancy:

Cats and dogs must not be more than three (3) weeks pregnant nor be suckling young at the time of export

Cat Breeds:

In accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) cats that are derived from a cross with a wild cat species are not eligible for importation into Australia. This includes (but is not limited to) breeds such as the Savannah cat (which is a cat derived from crossbreeding a domestic cat (Felis catus) with a serval cat (Felis serval), the Safari cat (crossed with a Geoffroy cat, Oncifelis geoffroyi) and the Chausie (crossed with the Jungle cat, Felis chaus). The only exception to this is the Bengal cat (Felis catus x Prionailurus bengalensis) which may continue to be imported provided it is five generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).

Dog Breeds:

Under the legislation of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, dogs of the following pure–breeds are prohibited and are not eligible for importation into Australia:

• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brazileiro
• Japanese Tosa
• Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull
• Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service can be contacted by phone: +61 2 6275 6666 or 1300 363 263 (within Australia) or by email customs information.

Hybrids:

Any domestic/non-domestic animal hybrids (e.g. Savannah cats or wolf-dog crosses) are not eligible for import. The only exception to this is the Bengal cat (Felis catus x Prionailurus bengalensis) which may continue to be imported provided it is five generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Contact the Wildlife Trade Regulation Section, the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) phone +61 6274 1111 or email.

A DAFF import permit is not required.

The exporter must sign a Statutory Declaration that:

• identifies the cat/dog by breed, sex and age;
• verifies that the cat/dog has been continually resident in New Zealand or Australia for the 90 days immediately preceding export to Australia, or since birth;
• verifies that the dog is not a pure–bred Dogo Argentino, Fila Brazileiro, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull, Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.

The animal must be accompanied by a health certificate signed by a registered veterinarian. The veterinarian must be authorised to certify on behalf of the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) (formerly MAF). For further information see the MPI Biosecurity New Zealand website.

The health certificate must certify that:

• the animal must be identified by a microchip
• New Zealand is free from rabies
• the animal was examined within 72 hours prior to export and found to be fit to travel
• the animal was treated for internal and external parasites within 72 hours prior to export.

Dogs only:

• Canine brucellosis, canine ehrlichiosis, Leishmaniosis, and leptospirosis due to Leptospira canicola have not been confirmed in New Zealand in the 12 months prior to export
  
• Evidence that either the dog has been continuously resident in New Zealand since birth or since importation from Australia. If the dog has not lived all of its life in New Zealand or has not resided only in New Zealand since import from Australia, the following evidence of testing must be presented to the MPI (MAF) approved veterinarian:
  • a negative test (IFAT at 1:40) result for Ehrlichia canis and
  • a negative test (IFAT or ELISA) result for Leishmania infantum

These tests must be done while the dog is resident in New Zealand.  This testing remains valid only if the dog is continuously resident in New Zealand from the sampling date until export to Australia. 

• Babesiosis — dogs that have ever been in Africa. Since last in Africa and before entering Australia the dog was treated as in Option 1 or Option 2 or; where the dog is not treated in New Zealand a copy of the certification of the treatment as in Option 1 or Option 2 must be endorsed by MPI (MAF) and accompany the dog to Australia.
  • Option 1: A government approved veterinarian must treat your dog once with imidocarb dipropionate (Forray—65®, Hoechst or Imizol® by Coopers) at a rate of 7.5 mg per Kg body weight by subcutaneous injection
  • Option 2: A government approved veterinarian must treat your dog twice with imidocarb dipropionate (Forray—65®, Hoechst or Imizol® by Coopers) at a rate of 6.6 mg per Kg body weight by subcutaneous injection given two weeks apart.

DAFF does not place any restrictions on the airline you choose. However, the animal must travel as “Manifested Cargo” (not in the cabin) and in an International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved container (crate) for cats and dogs.

IATA guidelines can be viewed on the IATA website. 

Strict compliance with crate specifications is vital for the safe and secure transport of your animal. Problems will occur if the animal can escape from its crate or if any part of its body (nose, limbs, or tail) can protrude. The IATA standards have been developed to prevent escape and injury during transportation.

For more details regarding IATA regulations contact the airline.

Disability assistance dogs may travel with their handler in the cabin, at the discretion of the airline.

1. Documentation must be provided as specified and all import requirements must be met. All health certification and relevant documentation must travel to Australia with the animal.
   
   
2. DAFF must be given at least three (3) days notice of the animal’s arrival in Australia. You must fax notification to the DAFF Office in the state in which your animal will first arrive in Australia.
   
   

   DAFF State Office	Phone	Fax
   New South Wales	+61 2 8334 7434	+61 2 8334 7430
   Victoria	+61 3 8318 6700	+61 3 8308 5071
   Queensland	+61 7 3246 8755	+61 7 3246 8798
   South Australia	+61 8 8201 6031	+61 8 8201 6087
   Western Australia	+61 8 9475 2600	+61 8 9475 2666
   Northern Territory	+61 8 8920 7001	+61 8 8920 7011

   Your fax must include:

   • Date and estimated time of arrival
   • Flight number
   • Air waybill number
   • A short description of your cat/dog
   • A phone number in New Zealand or Australia should DAFF need to contact you
   • The address at which the animal is to reside in Australia
   • Whether the dog is a disability assistance dog
     
3. Cats and dogs imported to Australia from New Zealand must be cleared at the first port of arrival in Australia i.e. animals destined for Canberra must be cleared in Sydney.

   Allow at least one (1) hour for the animal to be released by airline cargo and cleared by DAFF. Connecting flights must not leave within one hour of the animal’s arrival in Australia.

   If your animal is to connect with a domestic flight you will have to arrange for it to be moved from the international to the domestic terminal. Animal transport agencies can help you with this if required. A list of agents can be obtained from the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association website.

4. Please contact the relevant DAFF state office to determine the fees involved with clearing your animal upon arrival in Australia.

Payment of DAFF fees is usually collected by the airline carrying your animal, prior to export from New Zealand. The DAFF payment should appear on the air waybill. DAFF then invoices the airline to recover the fees. If the air waybill has not incorporated these fees DAFF will require payment prior to releasing your animal.

Cats and dogs that do not meet the above requirements may be ordered into quarantine, subjected to additional testing or treatment, or returned to New Zealand at the importer’s expense.