Bringing your dog or cat from Australia to New York: the easy way in, the hard way home

Australia is one of the hardest countries to bring a pet into. The US, for a dog or cat from Australia, is one of the easiest. Just don't confuse the two when you plan the round trip.

The short version

• Since 1 August 2024, every dog entering the US needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. For a dog that has only been in low-risk or rabies-free countries for the previous six months, that free online form is the only document CDC requires [1][2].
• Your dog must be at least six months old, have a microchip that a universal scanner can read, and look healthy on arrival [1].
• Cats don't need a CDC form or proof of rabies vaccination, but they must look healthy, and airlines may want a vet certificate [4].
• In New York City, every dog needs a licence: US$8.50 a year if desexed, US$34 if not [5].
• Coming home is the slow part. From the US mainland, Australia requires a rabies blood test, a wait of at least 180 days and quarantine at Mickleham. Start that clock early.

Dogs: the CDC rules for dogs from Australia

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overhauled its dog import rules in 2024. The rules sort countries by dog rabies risk. Australia isn't on CDC's high-risk list, and CDC says a country that isn't listed isn't considered high risk [7]. That puts a dog flying from Australia in the simplest category, as long as it has only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries for the six months before entry [1].

Filling in the CDC Dog Import Form

The form is online and free. You can submit it on the day you travel, but CDC suggests a few days to six months ahead [1]. You give your arrival date (an estimate is fine if you're unsure), the state and port of entry, and your airline and flight number [2]. CDC emails you a receipt. You show it to the airline at check-in and to US Customs and Border Protection on arrival, either printed or on your phone [1][2].

For a dog from a low-risk country, the receipt is valid for six months and covers more than one entry, as long as the dog hasn't been to a high-risk country in between. If the country your dog departs from changes, you need a new form [1].

The six-month and transit traps

Two things can push your dog into a harder category:

• Stopovers. If your dog has spent time in a high-risk country in the six months before arrival, the stricter rules apply. CDC has a separate page on layovers. Check your route before you book, especially anything unusual through Asia or the Middle East [1].
• Puppies. A dog under six months simply can't enter [1]. If you're moving with a young puppy, it waits in Australia.

Cats: simpler again

CDC doesn't require a form or proof of rabies vaccination for cats. Cats must appear healthy on arrival, may be inspected, and can be refused entry if they show signs of a disease that can spread to people. If a cat seems unwell, CDC may require a vet exam at your cost before entry [4].

CDC still recommends rabies vaccination for cats, and says the destination state or the airline may have its own requirements, including a general health certificate [4]. Ask your airline early.

The flight: Australia to New York

Most routes from Australia to New York involve at least one stop, typically through a US West Coast hub or via Auckland. Each airline sets its own rules on breeds, crate sizes, temperature embargoes and whether pets fly in the cabin, as checked baggage or as manifested cargo. From Australia, cargo is the usual option for anything bigger than a small cat.

Some practical points:

• Your first US airport is your port of entry. If you connect in Los Angeles or San Francisco, that's where your dog is cleared, not JFK. Put that port on the CDC form [2].
• Snub-nosed breeds. Many airlines restrict or refuse brachycephalic breeds such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats, especially in hot months. Check before you commit.
• Australian export paperwork. The Australian Government's export information for the US says it's the exporter's responsibility to meet the importing country's rules, including any permit conditions [8]. Your Australian vet and your airline or pet transport agent will tell you what certificates they need.
• Arriving at JFK or Newark. Cargo terminals are separate from passenger terminals. Plan for a car big enough for the crate, because you can't take a large crate on the subway.

Settling in: licences, vets and New York rules

Licence your dog

All dogs in New York City must be licensed, and the tag must be on the collar in public. The fee is US$8.50 a year for a desexed dog of any age, and US$34 a year for an entire dog over four months. You can license for one to five years, online or by mail, and the licence arrives within two to four weeks [5].

The rabies shot question

Australian pets usually haven't been vaccinated against rabies, because Australia is rabies-free. In New York you'll want to change that. You need proof of a current licence and rabies vaccination to use the city's off-leash dog runs [5], and your New York vet will raise it at the first visit. That vaccination is also the first step of the paperwork you'll need to bring your pet home to Australia later, so keep every certificate.

Pet-friendly flats and building rules

This is where the real friction is. Many New York buildings ban dogs, limit weight or breeds, or allow cats only. Co-op and condo buildings often have their own pet rules on top of the lease.

New York State caps the security deposit at one month's rent [6]. If a landlord asks for a separate pet deposit, ask how that fits within the cap before you hand over money.

State law says you can keep a pet unless your lease specifically prohibits it. In New York City multiple dwellings, a no-pet clause can be waived if you keep a pet openly for at least three months and the landlord knows, with exceptions such as public housing or where the animal causes damage or a nuisance [6]. That's a protection, not a strategy. Sneaking a dog in and waiting three months is a good way to start a fight with your building.

Our building life guide covers what living in a New York building is like day to day, and our renting guide explains how to get a flat approved.

Planning the trip home before you leave

Here's the catch. The US mainland is a Group 3 country under Australia's import rules. To bring a cat or dog back to Australia, it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination, a rabies blood test (RNATT), a wait of at least 180 days after the blood sample reaches the lab, an import permit and quarantine at the government facility in Mickleham, Victoria. The whole process takes at least six months. Our guide to bringing your pet home to Australia has the full steps and 2026 fees.

There's one bit of good news. A pet that originally came from Australia can qualify for the shorter 10-day minimum quarantine instead of 30 days. So:

1. Before you leave Australia, keep your pet's microchip records, vet history and any export paperwork in one folder.
2. In New York, get the rabies vaccination done and recorded with the microchip number.
3. A year or so before you plan to go home, talk to a USDA-accredited vet about the RNATT and the Australian process.
4. Don't let the blood test lapse. If you wait too long, the 180-day clock can restart.

Step by step: Australia to New York

1. Check age and chip. Dog at least six months old on arrival, microchip readable by a universal scanner [1].
2. Choose an airline and route, and confirm its pet rules and the first US airport you'll land at.
3. Book your pet's space. Pet spaces on flights are limited.
4. Get any airline-required vet certificate from your Australian vet.
5. Submit the CDC Dog Import Form for each dog, and save the receipt on your phone [1][2].
6. Arrange a pet-friendly flat before you land, or a pet-friendly short-term rental.
7. License your dog with the city soon after arrival [5].
8. Book a New York vet, discuss rabies vaccination and start a file for the trip home.

Swapping notes on airlines, dog-friendly buildings and good vets? Ask in Cooee USA, our Facebook group for Australians in the USA.

Sources

1. Entry requirements for dogs from dog-rabies free or low-risk countries – CDC
2. CDC Dog Import Form and instructions – CDC
3. Frequently asked questions on dog importations – CDC
4. Bringing an animal into the U.S. – CDC
5. Dog licenses – NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
6. Residential Tenants' Rights Guide – New York State Attorney General
7. High-risk countries for dog rabies – CDC
8. United States of America: dogs – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MICoR)

Keep reading

• New York building life: supers, heat season and holiday tips
• Renting in New York as an Australian
• Moving to New York from Australia: the complete guide
• Bringing your pet home to Australia