How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Pet from Canada to Australia?
The CFIA calls Australia’s import conditions for dogs and cats “amongst the most stringent in the world”. Australia’s own charges begin with the import permit and run on through the stay at the Mickleham quarantine facility, where the minimum is 30 days, or 10 with the Identification Declaration.
What it costs, line by line
| Cost | Amount | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| DAFF import permit, first pet | AUD $603 | Australian government |
| DAFF import permit, each additional pet | AUD $288 | Australian government |
| Quarantine reservation | AUD $269 per animal | Australian government |
| Quarantine importation charge | AUD $1,078 per animal | Australian government |
| Quarantine accommodation for 10 days, the minimum with the identity check, which is 30 without it | AUD $530 (at $53 per day) | Australian government |
| Quarantine total for a 10 day stay | AUD $1,877 per animal | Australian government |
| Inspection and document assessment | AUD $80 per 30 minutes, per animal | Australian government |
| Airline terminal service fee on release | AUD $170 to $350 | Recovered by the facility |
| CFIA export certification | Set by the CFIA at the endorsement appointment | CFIA |
| Rabies titre test, lab fee only | USD $79 to $90 lab fee. Canadian exporters send the sample to a US laboratory, the CFIA’s memorandum says, and it names Kansas State as the one often chosen | US laboratory |
| Airline freight | Quoted per route | Airline |
| IATA crate | Amazon.ca, read 18 September 2026, lists the Petmate Sky Kennel at CAD $188 to $674 across sizes 200, 300, 400 and 700. We size the crate at your pet’s fitting and confirm the cost before anything is booked | Retailer |
| Vet exam, health certificate, blood draw | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
The quarantine total is our arithmetic on three charges DAFF publishes separately, not a figure the department states itself. It is a floor: inspection time, extra parasite treatment, grooming, private vet attendance or a longer stay add to it.
The CFIA’s memorandum, dated 2013 and read 25 September 2026, adds that the USDA has confirmed Kansas State is government approved for this test. The lab fee is therefore in US dollars, with cross-border courier on top. That is easy to leave out of a budget.
You cannot visit your pet during quarantine. DAFF does not permit it.
Two things to confirm before you book anything, because neither is a cost and both can stop a move outright. Australia bars five dog breeds and four wolfdog hybrids under its customs and environment laws, and the rabies vaccination has to be given at 84 days of age or older before the 180 day wait can begin. Check your dog against the Australian department’s guide before you commit to dates or pay a deposit. The CFIA warns that Australia may change its requirements without notifying it, and advises confirming with the Australian department before travelling.
How flight pricing works on this route
Live animal freight from Canada is priced per booking, not from a rate card.
American Airlines Cargo, which does publish a transborder cargo tariff, states that it does not transport any animals outbound from Canada at all, so it is not an option on this lane unless the pet is driven to a US gateway and flown from there. A dog that goes that way is exported from the United States, and the CFIA says it then needs a canine influenza vaccination and a veterinary health certificate completed in the United States. The exact figure for this route is set once the crate size and dates are known, which is why we price it per booking instead of printing a number that will not match your itinerary.
What we can tell you is what drives it. Airlines charge on chargeable weight, which is whichever is greater: actual weight, or a volume figure from the crate dimensions. For pets the volume figure almost always wins. Air Canada publishes the divisor at 166 cubic inches per pound. A size 400 crate works out to roughly 66 kg of chargeable weight no matter what is inside it, which is why crate size moves the price more than the dog does.
What is not included here
Your vet sets their own fees. The examination, the certificate paperwork and any blood draw are priced by your clinic and vary between practices. Ask for a quote when you book the visit; we handle the timing so every piece lands inside its validity window. The lab fee covers the test itself, and the draw is always the clinic’s charge.
Ground transport at either end is quoted per route. Our coordination fee is included in the total we quote you and itemized on your invoice.
What moves the price
The titre test drives the calendar. The 180 day wait runs from the day the laboratory receives the sample, so the courier leg to the United States is part of that planning.
Quarantine lasts 30 days at the least, or 10 with the Identification Declaration, at $53 a day either way, and Australian officials can keep a pet longer when its documents fall short.
Every dog lands in Melbourne, the only arrival airport the Australian department’s dog guide allows. A home elsewhere in Australia means a domestic leg after release.
Exchange rate. Australia’s charges are in Australian dollars.
Figures and sources
Figures verified July 2026. CFIA fees are re-indexed for inflation every 31 March, so check the source if you are reading this later.
- DAFF quarantine fees (page last updated August 2025)
- DAFF import permit fees
- CFIA Fees Notice, Part 11
One caution. DAFF proposed an increase to companion animal charges from 1 July 2026 and has not yet published updated rates, so the figures above are what DAFF currently shows. Check the DAFF links before budgeting, and see our Australian quarantine guide for the full process.
Terms used here are defined in our pet relocation glossary.
Want this priced for your pet and dates?
Send us the route, the breed and roughly when you want to travel. Request a quote and we will reply with an itemized plan, a timeline and clear next steps.
For entry rules and the full paperwork timeline, see our guide to pet shipping requirements for Australia.
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