What happens when my pet arrives at Mickleham?

When your pet's flight lands at Melbourne International Airport, a DAFF biosecurity officer collects them from the aircraft. You are not present. Your pet is transported directly to the Mickleham facility and you receive an email confirmation within 24 hours.

What does the Mickleham quarantine facility look like?

Mickleham is a purpose-built government biosecurity facility, not a standard kennel. Pets have individual climate-controlled enclosures. Dogs have access to outdoor exercise areas. The facility has veterinary staff on site and meets Australian animal welfare standards.

Will my pet be seen by a vet during quarantine?

Yes. An Australian government veterinarian examines every pet during the quarantine period. If any health concern arises, DAFF will contact you directly. Additional veterinary treatment is charged at cost if required.

What food is my pet given at Mickleham?

DAFF provides standard quality food and water. If your pet has special dietary requirements, you must flag this during the import permit application process, not after arrival. Special dietary needs cannot be arranged once your pet is already in quarantine.

What actually happens at Mickleham quarantine?

A dog resting in a clean individual enclosure at a post-entry quarantine facility in Australia

Most people know their pet has to go to Mickleham. Very few know what actually happens there. Here's what to expect.

Arrival

When your pet's flight lands at Melbourne International Airport, a DAFF biosecurity officer collects them directly from the aircraft. You are not present for this. Your pet is transported directly to the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility. You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming they have arrived safely.

The facility is in Mickleham, a suburb about 25km north of Melbourne's CBD. It is purpose-built for post-entry quarantine and handles dogs, cats, and other animals.

The facility

Each animal is housed in an individual, climate-controlled enclosure. Dogs have access to outdoor exercise areas. The enclosures are cleaned daily. Animals are fed quality food and given water at all times. The facility has veterinary staff on site.

It is not a standard kennel. It is a government biosecurity facility that was built specifically for this purpose and meets Australian animal welfare standards.

What happens during the stay

Your pet is examined by an Australian government veterinarian during the quarantine period
Your import documents are assessed to confirm all conditions have been met
DAFF emails you updates on your pet's health and wellbeing
If there is any health concern, you are contacted directly
If import conditions are found not to be met, your pet may be subject to additional testing, treatment, or extended quarantine

Important

If you're worried about what happens when something doesn't go right, read what happens if your pet doesn't meet the import conditions.

How long the stay lasts

The minimum is 10 days for pets with correctly completed identity verification, or 30 days for pets without. The clock starts on arrival day. If there are compliance issues with the documentation or health concerns arise, the stay can be extended.

Release

Once the quarantine period is complete and all conditions are fulfilled, you'll be notified that your pet is ready for release. You must pay all outstanding fees before release. Come to the facility with photo ID, your import permit, and the DAFF release notice. Your pet comes home.

The most common thing owners report after collection: their pet is in good shape and happy to see them. The facility does its job well. The hard part is the wait, not the experience.

Track your quarantine countdown

Bringbabka calculates your release date the moment your pet arrives and keeps you updated through the stay.

Get started

Regulations can change. Always verify directly with DAFF at agriculture.gov.au.