The cost to import your dog into Australia is between $7000 and $14000 AUD minimum. Yep its outrageously true!

When I tell people the cost of importing your dog into Australia the disbelief is real! The reaction is 'WHAT'!!!!!!!! (and other expletives). The cost is dependant on a number of factors including what country you are exporting your dog from, hence the huge range of what it could cost.

Dog import into Australia has always been outrageously expensive. We paid $7800 for our dog from London to Sydney back in 2011! And back then there was a 30 day mandatory quarantine period.

Now after a few years of enforced stagnation, expats are on the move again. Their overseas contracts are finishing, geopolitics are shifting and families are making decisions about where they want to live. Anyone in the position of making the move down under with their dog is left shocked with the cost and time scale. It's a genuine 'what the' reaction.

So air fares have increased for humans, but let me tell you they have also increased for dogs. All dogs entering Australia have a minimum 10 day quarantine period in Melbourne at a cost of $2000 aud. Then you have the vaccinations, pet transport company costs, import permit, cargo crate, flight costs and the list goes on. Add a minimum of 7 months from the date of having your dog vaccinated and rabies tested and the process is a long winding uncertain road.

Then there is the question on doing it yourself or using an agent? There is a real divide on the merits of using agents opposed to doing it yourself. If your'e tenacious with high attention to detail you might choose to do it yourself. You are responsible for coordinating vet visits, ground transfers and ensuring all government requirements are met. And yes doing part of this yourself will save you some money. Since the new regulatory changes of March 2023 a lot of Airlines are insisting and even setting policy around people having to use pet transport companies to book the flights. This in my opinion is reasonable considering the logistical headaches it can create. All other steps can be done yourself. Over the years we have decided on a combination of approaches. No one way is the right way.

There is a mis-consensus that if you use a pet transport company the process will be seamless in every way. Not true. Trust me we have had some horror stories. There are of course tragic tales too. A family transporting their pooch from the US paid $15,000 AUD only to be told he died two days after arrival.

There was no suggestion of poor treatment along the way. The death was attributed to the stress of travel and separation. Heart breaking and of course the owners may never know the truth.

So the costs are still high, not quite as high as mid-pandemic but slightly higher than what they were in 2019. Overall it is a crazy expensive process, one in which 6000+ people undertake every year into Australia. Dogs are part of our families, in many cases peoples greatest love. No-one sane enough will agree the cost is reasonable. It's an absurd joke. But for the love of dogs we will long continue paying the money, even if it means we need to sell a kidney in the process.