Relocating to Sydney from California

shi · #1 (**permalink**) 25th April 2008, 08:39 PM

Hello Everyone!

Me & my hubby are considering relocating abroad, Sydney being one of our options. We have just begun researching and looking into our options. Our other options are Spain and UK. My hubby is in the fashion industry, and I'm in the banking industry. How are the job markets in Sydney right now especially for designers? Ideally, if we make the move to any one of these countries, we would be living there for at least 2-3 years. Also, I have two dogs that I will have to move with. How are the regulations about moving animals to the AU? And lastly, does anyone recommend one more the other?

Any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated!

-- Shi

P.S. Sorry I meant to post this in the Australia forum! SORRY!

Dolly · #2 (**permalink**) 25th April 2008, 09:48 PM

Hi there,

Sorry I can't help with your query on the fashion industry, but here's a link to the AQIS (Australian Quarantine Inspection Service) website.

Bringing Cats and Dogs and other pets to Australia - DAFF

Dolly

shi · #3 (**permalink**) 25th April 2008, 10:04 PM

Thanks Dolly!

Tiffani · #4 (**permalink**) 29th April 2008, 05:00 AM

I am trying to bring my dog over right now (she was due to arrive Friday week, but it's been pushed back until at least June due to a problem with some bloodwork she had done). It is extremely difficult, time consuming, and expensive. It's probably one of the hardest countries to bring an animal into, but that's fair (they've been burned before).

Start planning a year in advance if possible for import of the dogs, and at minimum you'll need six months. The dogs will have to be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days so keep that in mind.

I am bringing over a Weimaraner and, all told, it'll end up costing about US$5,000. It's not chump change, but she's worth it. With a smaller dog it would be a bit cheaper but not substantially (a couple I know brought over their cat and it was about $3500). How much two dogs would cost, I don't know. It probably wont' be exactly double, but won't be too far off.

shi · #5 (**permalink**) 29th April 2008, 07:10 PM

Thanks Tiffani! That's very helpful info because I've got 2 Miniature Schnauzers, and my husband will not leave them behind if we were to relocate. When the dogs are being held for quartine, do you know where the dogs will stay?

Tiffani · #6 (**permalink**) 29th April 2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shi

Thanks Tiffani! That's very helpful info because I've got 2 Miniature Schnauzers, and my husband will not leave them behind if we were to relocate. When the dogs are being held for quartine, do you know where the dogs will stay?

Yes, Silver will be in the Melbourne quarantine station once she arrives, and I can go visit her twice/week while she's there.

When you start the process with your Schnauzers, one thing to keep in mind is that, within 30 days prior to export, they have to be tested for several (mostly tick-borne) diseases. Silver has tested positive for Ehrlichiosis; she's never been symptomatic but the test doesn't determine if the dog actually HAS it, just whether she's been exposed to it at some point. Now she's on a course of antibiotics for two weeks, we'll test again, if she fails she gets another two weeks of ABs, test again, and so on. I'm told it can take MONTHS to produce a negative result for ehrlichiosis. So my piece of advice for you would be to go ahead and have them tested by your vet for all the diseases listed on the form. It won't be official (only Kansas State can do the official lab test, but you'll learn more about that later) but at least you'll know if your dogs have antibodies that would make them ineligible for import, and you can start them straight away on the antibiotics so that hopefully their import won't be delayed like my Silver's has!