2025/03/24
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Animal Health Certificate - Dogs/cats being exported to Australia

Animal Health Certificate - Dogs/cats being exported to Australia

Import Requirements for dogs/ cats being exported from Hong Kong to Australia

With effect from 1 March 2023, the Australian government authority (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) has imposed the below import requirements for dogs/cats coming from Hong Kong.

  1. All dogs and cats must be implanted with an International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) compatible microchip prior to commencing pre-export preparation. AVID microchips that are 9 digits long are not acceptable.  
  2. Rabies vaccination must continue to be current at the time of export to Australia.
  3. An adequate rabies neutralising antibody titre test (RNATT) laboratory report will be valid for 12 months only.
  4. Minimum 10 days post-entry quarantine in an Australian government facility for dogs and cats that have had an identity verification, including scanning of the microchip, by the exporting country’s competent authority as part of the import permit application process. The verification must occur before a blood sample is collected for RNATT, and at least 180 days before export to Australia.

    OR

    Minimum 10 days post-entry quarantine in an Australian government facility for dogs and cats returning to Australia that have an identity verification before leaving Australia, through provision of formal evidence such as an Australian export permit as part of the import permit application process.

    OR

    Minimum 30 days post-entry quarantine in an Australian government facility for dogs and cats that have not had an identity verification before a blood sample was collected for RNATT, and at least 180 days before export to Australia. These dogs and cats must still have a valid RNATT on a blood sample received by the testing laboratory at least 180 days before export to Australia.

Application for Official Identity Verification for your dog/cat

Before blood sampling for RNATT, if you would like to apply for the identity verification for your dog/cat from this Department, please contact our office at 2150 7062 at least 10 working days in advance for making an appointment. To confirm the appointment, you should bring along the original copies of vaccination record, dog licence (for dogs only), import permit (if any), and pay the application fee in our office in advance. It takes 1 working day to process after the identity verification is completed.

Application for RNATT Declaration

Please tell your private vet who did the blood sampling to fill in his/her full name, sign and stamp on the RNATT Report. After that, please bring along the original copies of rabies vaccination record, dog licence (for dogs only), Identification Declaration and the RNATT Report etc. to our office for issuing the RNATT Declaration. It takes 1 working day to process.

After you have been granted Australia's Import Permit, please ask your vet to carefully check and understand Australia’s import requirements, and conduct the required parasite treatments and blood sampling(s) within the time frame in accordance with the import requirements for your animal. Please tell your vet to sign and stamp on each Blood Test Report to acknowledge the test results.

Application for Official Animal Health Certificate for export

Please bring your dog/cat to the private animal clinic for examination and completion of the following prescribed Animal Health Certificate within 5 days prior to export.

Prescribed Animal Health Certificate for dogs being shipped to Australia (Ver. 20230524)

Prescribed Animal Health Certificate for cats being shipped to Australia (Ver. 20230524)

Please tell your vet to fill in his/her full name, sign and stamp on each Blood Test Report to acknowledge the test result. After that, please bring along the original copies of prescribed Animal Health Certificate, Blood Test Report(s), Vaccination Record(s), Dog Licence (for dogs only), Import Permit, Identification Declaration, and RNATT Declaration, etc. to our office within 5 days prior to export. We will base on your vet's attestation and supporting documents to issue an Animal Health Certificate correspondingly. (It takes 1 working day to process).

*Reminders:

According to the Australian import permit conditions regarding Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, all dogs require either:
- to be vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola; OR
- tested negative for Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola (leptospirosis).

If you choose to vaccinate, your dog must be fully vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, according to manufacturer’s recommendations. The full vaccination history (i.e. the complete valid primary course and subsequent booster vaccinations) must be included on the Prescribed Animal Health Certificate and the relevant original vaccination records must be provided.

For more import information, please visit http://www.agriculture.gov.au/