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  6. 139-2025

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139-2025: Assistance dogs travelling on cruise vessels within domestic Australian waters

5 May 2025

Who does this notice affect?

This notice affects assistance animal handlers travelling on cruise ships between Australian ports (not leaving Australian waters), cruise line operators and pet transport agents.

What has changed?

The department currently grants approval for assistance dogs to travel on cruise ships within mainland Australian waters, where the cruise ship is under biosecurity control. The department also requires these assistance dogs to be inspected by a biosecurity officer at the final port before they disembark from the cruise ship.

The department has reviewed this process and have determined that the biosecurity risk of an assistance dog of known Australian health status travelling on a cruise vessel that will only dock in domestic Australian ports, is negligible and therefore within Australia’s Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP). Cruise ships have mandatory reporting requirements which provide assurances of the risk status of the ship prior to arrival into Australia, as well as ongoing reporting requirements during their voyage within Australian waters.

Following this review, the department has decided to remove the current mandatory biosecurity intervention process and will instead take a more risk-based approach.

Under these changes, handlers of assistance dogs will no longer be required to seek approval to take an assistance dog on a domestic cruise or have their dog inspected by a biosecurity officer when disembarking the cruise vessel at the final Australian port.

Handlers and cruise line operators must promptly inform the department if a dog develops any signs of illness during or following a domestic cruise.

This does not apply to the importation of live animals (including assistance animals) via cruise ships or other vessels from international countries (excluding New Zealand). This also does not apply to assistance animals travelling on international cruises.

Please visit the department’s website for updated information as it becomes available. This webpage will be updated on the 19th of May 2025.

When are these changes happening?

These changes will occur from the 19th of May 2025.

We will directly contact all handlers with current pre-approval applications underway of the updated process.

Further information

We encourage prospective importers to check our webpage regularly for up to date information as import conditions can and do change without notice.

Please contact the department by phone 1800 900 090 or email to imports@aff.gov.au if you have any questions.

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Page last updated: 05 May 2025

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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