Pet Exports to Australia
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When travelling with pet cats or dogs to Australia, there are more stringent rules to follow.
The process needs to be started well in advance of your planned date of travel so we advise talking to your vet about the paperwork as early as possible, as the process can take several months. You should then ask them to study the details on this page to make sure they understand the full process. In some cases vets may need to obtain additional authorisations, or you may need to approach more than one vet to complete all of the necessary paperwork.
There are two options when animals are being prepared for export from Northern Ireland to Australia, the option chosen affects how long your pet will require to be quarantined in Australia after arrival. Note that ALL pets will require some time in quarantine.
Option 1. Preparation for 10-day Post Export Quarantine (PEQ) eligibility – This option requires the use of two vets from two different practices both of whom are specifically authorised by DAERA for export to Australia (known as OV66 authorisation). In addition, the vets will need to be authorised to certify pets to 3rd countries, the EU and to issue pet passports in Northern Ireland (NI) The process is quite complicated and requires a lot of planning in advance but results in a shorter quarantine period in Australia.
Option 2. Preparation for 30-days PEQ eligibility - the preparation can be undertaken by a single vet who is authorised to certify pets to 3rd countries, the EU and to issue pet passports in Northern Ireland (NI), additional OV66 authorisation is not required. The process is slightly simpler (although still complex) but requires a longer quarantine period in Australia.
Export Health Certificates for the export of dogs and cats to Australia are available on the UK government Form Finder site Find an export health certificate - GOV.UK Simply enter Australia into the search bar.
To apply for an Export Health Certificate you should downland a copy of the current Export Health Certificate (EHC) onto your desktop.
You (the pet owner/exporter) then complete the first part of the EHC (exporter, pet and recipient details). When completing EHC templates obtained from Form Finder or the DAERA website you MUST use dedicated pdf reader software to do so. At present, the Department recommends Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free at the Adobe Website.
Next visit the DAERA website to submit your application. This can be accessed via the pet exports page.
Pets Exports | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Use the green button at the bottom of the page to start your application. (see screen shot below)
Follow the on-screen instructions and make sure you indicate the correct authorised private veterinary practitioner (aPVP/vet) who is responsible for issuing the final EHC. You will be asked to upload the EHC application to DECS.
You will receive a confirmation email and reference number for your application. DAERA will process your application and forward a certificate to the vet you have nominated to issue the final EHC.
Additional Requirements if travelling via Dublin
If your pet will be flying to Australia via Dublin airport there may be additional requirements. Pets travelling through another EU member State must always have a valid EU Pet Passport. Additionally depending on whether the journey is deemed commercial or non-commercial an EU Export Health Certificate may also be required. Please refer to the guidance published here to determine if your journey is commercial or not. To complete the additional paperwork you will need to register your premises. Details of how to do this can be found on the owner’s guidance at this link Cats, dogs or ferrets for commercial export to EU or via an EU Member State | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Guidance for Vets
A application copy of the Export Health Certificate (EHC) and guidance notes on the completion of the EHC can be found on Form Finder Find an export health certificate - GOV.UK NOTE: The copy of the certificate available on Form Finder must NOT be used to certify the pet, you must receive an official certificate with a certificate number from DAERA, only this copy should be certified.
Please make sure to read through ALL of guidance thoroughly before starting the export procedure as some options require co-ordination between two different practices and timing is important, some requirements must be initiated months in advance of export. Also note, if the pet is travelling via Dublin airport an additional Traces certificate may be required. See details regarding commercial pet exports within the EU.
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