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Ship's Pets Arriving in Australia on Board International Yachts
- Inspection Process
- Ship's Pets [Dogs & Cats] - General Conditions
- Ship's Pets [Birds] - General Conditions
- Ship's Pets [Monkeys] - General Conditions
- Ship's Pets [Other animals] - General Conditions
- Importation Requirements for Ship’s Pets
Inspection Process
A quarantine officer will inspect your vessel when you arrive at your proclaimed first ports of entry in Australia. During the Pratique inspection of your vessel a quarantine officer will inspect your ship’s pet and provided the animal is showing no signs of a quarantinable disease (e.g. Rabies, Newcastle Disease etc), the animal may stay on board your vessel while in Australian ports or waters. The quarantine officer will explain to you the quarantine requirements for the safe keeping of your pet while in Australia (also given to you in writing) and, provided all quarantine conditions are met by you during your stay (e.g. not take the animal ashore under any circumstances, unless you have permission from a quarantine officer) you should have no problems with meeting the quarantine conditions while in Australia.
All international yachts carrying animal/s on board must go to a mid-water anchorage on arrival at your proclaimed first port of call in Australia (see the AQIS website for the list of Australian proclaimed ports). When a quarantine officer attends your vessel, you will be called into the quarantine boarding station, where formal quarantine inspection and clearance will be conducted. All vessels with animal/s on board will be given written directions for:
- the control, confinement and prevention of escape of the animal/s from the vessel
- the site of mooring or berthing the vessel while in Australian ports or waters.
If you intend changing moorings, you must advise AQIS of your intention to move your vessel from its current moorings at least 48 hours prior to any movement of the vessel. A proposed itinerary of the vessel’s movements in Australian ports or waters must be provided to AQIS, and any changes to the proposed itinerary must also be brought to the attention of AQIS.
It is important that all animal/s be confined and controlled at all times while the vessel is in Australian ports or waters. The control and confinement of the animal/s is most important during cyclonic conditions or other emergency situations, or in other circumstances as advised by AQIS (i.e. when the vessel in left unattended). All animal waste must be disposed of in a manner approved by AQIS. These arrangements may change on a port-by-port basis. Therefore you are advised to check with the local port quarantine officer in relation to port quarantine requirements.
Ship's Pets [Dogs & Cats]
General Conditions
All dogs and/or cats on board the vessel must be confined in a manner consistent with the written directions provided by AQIS at all times. The general conditions for the safe keeping of dogs and cats on board international yachts while in Australian ports or waters include:
- Placed on a tether and locked below decks, when the owners are away from the vessel
- Must not be taken ashore for exercise by their owners
- Must not be taken ashore, without the permission of AQIS
- The master will ensure all animal waste is disposed of in a manner approved by AQIS
- The owner will be responsible for all AQIS fees and charges relating to the retention of dogs or cats on board the vessel, which may include quarantine surveillance, if non-compliance with quarantine requirements is detected during the vessels stay in Australian ports or waters.
Please Note: The AQIS requirements for the control and confinement for dogs and cats only applies to animals on board foreign registered overseas vessels. Returning Australian registered vessel, with dogs or cats on board will require the removal of the animal/s from the vessel for the required mandatory period of quarantine, to be served in a quarantine station at the owner's expense. It is recommended that the mandatory period of quarantine should be undertaken as soon as possible if the animal/s are to remain permanently in Australia.
Ship's Pets [Birds]
General Conditions
All birds on board the vessel must be confined in a manner consistent with the written directions provided by AQIS at all times. The general conditions for the safe keeping of birds on board international yachts while in Australian ports or waters include:
- The master shall supply an AQIS approved steel/metal cage with padlock/s. This requirement will be discussed with the port quarantine officer during the time of the Pratique inspection
- Birds shall remain locked in an AQIS approved cage at all times
- AQIS may elect to retain the keys for the padlock/s and the cage shall remain within the confines of the accommodation area of the vessel
- If birds are taken onto the deck for welfare purposes, they must remain in the cage and under constant supervision to ensure they do not come into contact with local bird life
- Birds cannot be exercised out of the cage on deck or outside the accommodation area
- Birds cannot be left on deck, when the owners are away from the vessel
- The master will ensure all animal waste is disposed of in a manner approved by AQIS
- The owner will be responsible for all AQIS charges relating to the retention of birds on board the vessel, which may include quarantine surveillance, if non-compliance with quarantine requirements is detected during the vessel’s stay in Australian ports or waters.
Ship's Pets [Monkeys]
General Conditions:
See General Conditions for the control and confinement of Birds.
Ship's Pets [Other animals]
Applications to bring ship’s pets into Australia on board international yachts other than dogs, cats, birds or monkeys will be assessed by AQIS on a case-by-case basis. Owners should use the email link provided to contact the AQIS live animal import section, for the relevant quarantine and/or importation requirements prior to arrival in Australia.
Importation Requirements for Ship’s Pets
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
All animals imported into Australia require a ‘Permit To Import Quarantine Material’ issued by AQIS. Applications to import dogs and cats brought into Australia on international yachts are assessed on a case-by-case basis. All dogs and cats, except those imported directly from New Zealand will spend a minimum of 30 days in quarantine at a Government Quarantine Station. The exact period of quarantine confinement will be determined by the countries that have been visited in the previous six months and the testing performed previously on the animal.
Countries are assigned a disease risk category based on an assessment of the overall disease status of the country concerned. In order to qualify for the minimum of 30 days quarantine, it is recommended that in the 6 months prior to import you visit only the following countries (Category 1 and 2): - New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Fiji, French Polynesia (includes Tahiti), Guam, Hawaii, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
If countries from categories 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been visited in the preceding 6 months the period of quarantine will be determined by countries visited, rabies vaccination status and test results from a Rabies Antibody Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT). The dogs and cats will be imported according to the import conditions in respect of the country, which has the highest category grade that has been visited.
Documentary evidence must be provided to support stated ports of call in the previous six months (e.g. ships log, passports, customs/quarantine certificates of clearance and/or admission endorsed by the relevant port authority where possible). If supporting documentation is found to be inadequate, a longer period of quarantine may be imposed.
If a non-approved country has been visited in the last 6 months, the animals will be required to serve a quarantine period of 6 months, since departing the non-approved country.
International yachts arriving with animals on board intended for importation must proceed immediately to an AQIS controlled port. The AQIS preferred position is to have animals requiring post arrival quarantine to enter at the port closest to a quarantine facility. You will be required to proceed to a mid-water anchorage on arrival and notify AQIS. A quarantine officer will attend your vessel and you will be called into the quarantine boarding station, where your pet will be sealed into its cage. Arrangements must be made for movement of the animal(s) from the vessel to the quarantine facility under AQIS control. All costs associated with transportation from the vessel to the quarantine station will be at the importer’s expense.
All dogs and cats imported into Australia on board international yachts will be tested during Post Arrival Quarantine (PAQ) in Australia for Leptospira canicola, Brucella canis and Ehrlichia canis at the owner’s expense, and will not be eligible for release from quarantine until they fully comply with the relevant import permit conditions.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
AQIS regulates the quarantine requirements for animals entering Australian ports and waters and DEWHA regulates the import and export of wildlife in Australia. Therefore, if you intend to bring a pet on your vessel into Australian waters, in addition to complying with the AQIS requirements, you must contact DEWHA to determine if there are any further import requirements. For further information please refer to the DEWHA website or send your email enquiry to wsm@environment.gov.au