Pet relocation: dog or cat to AU / NZ / UK / JP
Moving a dog or cat to a rabies-free island nation requires 5-7 months of preparation. Skipping any step triggers months of quarantine at owner cost. Covers AU, NZ, UK, Japan, and Iceland.
Checklist
- 01
Implant an ISO 15-digit microchip in the pet (NOT a US 10-digit AVID/Trovan chip — those are not readable by international scanners and require you to bring your own scanner). Microchip insertion must precede the rabies vaccination chronologically.
- 02
Vaccinate against rabies. The rabies vaccination must be administered AFTER the microchip implant; vaccinations given before the microchip do not count under most rabies-free destinations' rules.
- 03
Wait 30 days, then have a veterinarian draw blood for the rabies-antibody titre test (FAVN or RFFIT). The sample must be tested at an OIE-approved laboratory; results take 4-8 weeks. The titre must be ≥0.5 IU/mL.
- 04
Wait 90 to 180 days from the date of the successful titre test before the pet enters the destination. Some destinations (AU) require the full 180 days; others (UK, EU member states) require 90 days when both source and destination are EU listed.
- 05
Within 10 days of travel, obtain a USDA-endorsed (or your country's equivalent) Veterinary Health Certificate plus parasite-treatment record (tapeworm treatment within 1-5 days for AU/UK).
- 06
Book the pet's flight on an IATA Live Animal Regulations approved carrier in advance — capacity is limited, summer cargo embargoes apply on many routes, and missed bookings push the entire timeline.
- 07
Arrival: present the full document chain at the destination's animal-quarantine inspection. Even with all paperwork correct, AU/NZ require a minimum 10-day Post-Entry Quarantine at owner cost; missing paperwork extends quarantine to 6+ months.