Bark Haba
Instead of the traditional Hebrew Baruch Haba welcoming greeting, Israelis who have made their home in Australia can now say Bark Haba as their pets are once gain permitted to fly from Israel to Australia.
Ready for Australia
Dr Eytan Kreiner
A rabies outbreak in Israel in 2011 caused the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to prohibit the import of Israeli animals to Australia. According to a source in Israel, this caused such such distress to some Israelis seeking a home elsewhere that “changed their destination from Australia to a much more pet-friendly country”.
However, J-Wire has learned that a workaround was to ship a pet to a European country where it was quarantined for six months before being allowed entry into Australia. Dr Eytan Kreiner, founder and CEO of Israeli animal transport company Terminal4Pets said: “That process was not only emotionally tough for pets and their owners but was also expensive and time consuming”.
But last month, the ban on the direct importation of dogs and cats from Israel was lifted and the first applicants have started the immigration process.
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry told J-Wire: “In October 2012, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) received a submission from Israel’s Chief Veterinary Officer requesting that DAFF review its suspension of Israel as an approved country for the direct export of dogs and cats to Australia.
– DAFF reassessed the rabies status of Israel based on documentation provided by the Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Veterinary Services and Animal Health and the current declaration by Israel to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Animal Health Information service.
– Following this re-assessment, DAFF is satisfied that Israel is a country where rabies is present but well controlled and, as of Monday 25 March 2013, Israel is now listed as an approved country for the direct export of dogs and cats to Australia.
– Cats and dogs that are imported to Australia from Israel must still meet all of the DAFF import conditions.
– More information on the import conditions, relevant Australian quarantine period and the steps involved for importing cats and dogs to Australia can be found on the DAFF website www.daff.gov.au/aqis/cat-dogs/cat4?name=Israel
Dr Kreiner told J-Wire: “We have been in business for over 20 years and were shipping animals to Australia regularly…usually three times a week. We are also involved in the importation of animals to Israel for those setting up home here.”
He told J-Wire that apart from cats and dogs, his company had also arrange travel between Israel and Australia for hamsters, snakes, ferrets, llamas, elephants, giraffes…and crocodiles.
Daff added: “There has been one application for a permit to import a dog from Israel, which was granted.”
