How to import frozen dog semen to Australia from a listed country

This step-by-step guide is for frozen dog (Canis lupus familiaris) semen exported from listed countries only. You can only import from countries which appear on our list of countries for canine semen.

To be eligible for import into Australia, the dog semen must meet standard import conditions. Standard import conditions can be found on our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). Search for ‘dog semen’ and select the appropriate country of export for your goods. This country must appear on our list of countries for canine semen.

If the standard import conditions cannot be met, you may apply for an import permit through the BICON system. An application for an import permit does not guarantee that a permit will be granted.

There are fees and charges associated with the application for an import permit for non-standard goods.

We recommend you read this whole guide before you start the import process.

This guide details the actions you must take to meet Australia’s import conditions. You must meet all these conditions before you send dog semen to Australia.

You can share it with your preparing veterinarian and your pet transport company. They will help you meet all requirements.

All veterinary procedures, testing, certification and semen collection must be done:

• by a government approved veterinarian
• while your donor dog resides in the country of export
• before you send the semen to Australia.

This process ensures the semen does not bring diseases to Australia.

When you talk to the competent authority in your country of export, they will let you know:

• any local procedures or requirements you must meet before you export your cat
• how to find approved veterinarians to prepare your donor dog for semen collection
• how to find approved laboratories for pre-export testing.

The competent authority will also issue your official veterinary health certificate. This happens when all veterinary preparations are complete and the semen is ready to leave the country of export. It certifies that all animal health import conditions are met.

All veterinary preparations must be done by a government approved veterinarian.

Any testing must be done by a laboratory approved by the veterinary authority in the country of export.

Some countries may not have labs capable of completing the required tests. You can use a laboratory in another listed country, if it is approved by the competent authority of that country.

To find a government approved veterinarian or laboratory, contact the competent authority in the export country.

We cannot give advice on treatments for diseases. Seek advice from a veterinarian if your dog tests positive to an infectious disease listed in the import conditions.

We recommend you share this step-by-step guide with the approved vet.

Your veterinarian will help you make sure you meet all import conditions. This information is also useful to share with pet transport companies.

Microchips are the only approved identification method.

The donor dog must be implanted with a microchip that is ISO compliant. Generally, microchips with 10 or 15 digits are ISO compliant.

Microchip numbers starting with 999 are not accepted because they are not unique.

A government approved veterinarian must scan the microchip:

• at each visit
• before semen collection.

They will check that the scanned number is recorded on all semen straws or cryovials and documentation. This is how we match the semen to the donor dog, and all certified preparations and documentation.

If your dog has 2 microchips

Both microchips must be scanned at each veterinary visit.

Both microchip numbers must be included on semen straws, cryovials and laboratory reports.

If your dog has a compliant microchip and a non-compliant microchip, ensure your veterinarian only records the compliant microchip.

If your dog’s microchip stops working

The veterinarian should try multiple microchip scanners to read the microchip. An X-ray can be used to locate the microchip if it has moved from the implant site.

If the microchip cannot be located, a new microchip must be inserted to continue with the import process. Once a new, functional microchip has been inserted, the preparation process must start again.

Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola vaccine option

Donor dogs can be vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola. This is as an alternative to testing for Leptospira canicola (leptospirosis) covered by Step 4.4.

You can choose to fully vaccinate your dog against Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola. It must be done according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, at least 14 days before the first semen collections. Most Leptospira vaccines require an initial course of 2 vaccines 2-4 weeks apart followed by yearly boosters.

The vaccination must be valid during the semen collection process. If multiple collections are being taken, the vaccine must remain valid throughout the whole process.

Donor dogs must be examined on each day of semen collections by a government approved veterinarian. The dog must be found healthy and free of infectious, contagious, or venereal diseases before semen is collected.

There are no time-restrictions between the first and last semen collection, and no limit of the number of collected in between.

The semen must be frozen and processed in either a straw or pellet form and stored in a cryovial.

Each straw or pellet must be clearly labelled with the following:

• Donor dog’s microchip number
• Donor dog’s breed
• Date of semen collection.

Labels must be permanent, and writing must not be easily smudged or wiped off. Straws or pellets which arrive with illegible, smudged or non-permanent labelling may result in the semen being sent back or destroyed at your own cost.

From the time of collection, the dog semen must be stored in transport containers that:

• contain no other biological material other than canine semen of equivalent health status
• are filled with new liquid nitrogen only
• are new or have been emptied, with any loose straws or cryovials removed
• are disinfected with 2% available chlorine or Virkon at the manufacturer’s recommended rate or irradiated at 50Kgray.

If pellets are used, the cryovials must be suitable for maintaining the products integrity during storage and transport.

These health checks and blood collections may be completed at the same vet visit.

Your donor dog must be examined again by a government approved veterinarian 30-45 days after the last semen collection. The donor dog must be healthy and free from infectious or contagious diseases. This includes venereal transmitted diseases.

A government approved veterinarian must scan and verify the donor dog’s microchip before collecting and testing a blood sample for Brucella canis.

The blood must be collected between 30-45 days after the last collection of semen. It must be tested using one of these methods:

• a rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT), or
• a tube agglutination test (TAT), or
• an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT).

Only the standard versions of these tests will be accepted. Any alternative test not listed above will require further clarification before they can be considered.

Tests which are NOT approved include the 2ME-RSAT, 2ME-TAT, AGID / AGID II, Canine Brucella Multiplex Assay and Brucella Slide Agglutination / AGID II combination test.

The test must produce a negative result.

A government approved veterinarian must scan and verify the donor dog’s microchip before collecting and testing a blood sample for Leishmania infantum.

The blood must be collected between 30-45 days after the last collection of semen using one of these methods:

• an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT)
• an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Only the standard, quantitative versions of the above tests will be accepted. ‘Rapid’ or ‘snap’ versions of these tests are not acceptable.

The test musts produce a negative result.

This step only applies if your dog is not vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola. See step 2.3 for advice on the vaccine option.

A government approved veterinarian must scan and verify the donor dog’s microchip before collecting and testing a blood sample for Leptospira canicola.

The blood must be collected between 30-45 days after the last collection of semen using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT).

The test must produce a negative result (less than 50% agglutination) at a serum dilution of 1:100.

If your dog returns a positive result, you must contact us for advice. Further testing may be required. This may delay your dog’s export.

An official government veterinarian in the country of export must complete, sign and stamp the veterinary health certificate.

Our biosecurity officers will check the veterinary health certificate on arrival in Australia. This is how we make sure the semen meets all health requirements.

A separate veterinary health certificate must be completed for each donor dog.

Email the regional office in the state or territory in which your consignment will first arrive in Australia.

Your email must include:

• the date and estimated time of arrival
• the flight number
• the air waybill number
• a contact phone number in Australia.

Live animal imports office contacts in Australia

• New South Wales – ceranimalimports@aff.gov.au 
• Victoria – seanimal@aff.gov.au AND VIC.Controller@aff.gov.au 
• Queensland – qldliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au 
• South Australia – cargosa@aff.gov.au 
• Western Australia – waliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au 
• Tasmania – tas.controller@aff.gov.au 
• Northern Territory – ntliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au AND ntcontroller@aff.gov.au 
• Australian Capital Territory – actregoffice@aff.gov.au 

Following the Australian Border Force process for importing goods to Australia. Ensure the package is directed to you as the owner, or your agent, under the care of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Ensure all documentation has either been electronically sent to us or is attached to the package.

On arrival, the consignment will be subject to biosecurity control. You must wait until you receive formal directions from us to specify what will happen with your goods.

A biosecurity officer will review your documentation and inspect your goods to ensure it meets the import conditions. Either you or your agent must book an inspection. You or your agent must be present at the inspection as you will be responsible for handling the goods. If we need to keep it longer, you or your agent will need to refill containers with liquid nitrogen.

Once it has been determined that your goods are compliant, they will be released from biosecurity control. If the goods do not comply, or we require further information, we may ask for more documentation, or we may need to have the goods re-exported or destroyed.