Thanks for telling us about yourself and your animal!

Assistance Animals International supports eligible clients with their Australian Travel Plans - for recognition as an Assistance Animal against the Australian Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (The DDA), for preparation of their IMPORT APPLICATION as an ASSISTANCE ANIMAL for travel to or from Australia.

We offer two prospective pathways with us:

1. Existing assistance animals with proven history and documentation/evidence - may be assessed against our program standards and offered supports from us to apply to import.

2.People with disability returning or emigrating to Australia who would like to train their existing dog (if suitable) may apply to join our program and train and assess in their origin country, applying to the Australian Department Agriculture for future import approval once they have passed the Public Access Test. This process can take 6-12 months training prior to testing and the preparation of the import application. We also cannot confirm that an animal will reach the suitable standard - so this is not a guarantee of successful assistance dog training.

We reserve the right to accept or decline any enquiry with us.

We are a force free, ethical training provider, who does not condone the use of punishment, fear, shock or prong in training. Any applicant found to be using these tools will be required to change to force free training and equipment and may be required to undertake additional training to confirm their animal is well and able to support them using force free methods and relationship.

Thanks for completing our enquiry form here so we can get back in touch with you very soon to discuss your requirements.

Regards
The AAI Team

Link to the Department of Agriculture (DAFF) website for import of dogs and cats to Australia: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs

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* 1. Todays Date

Date

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* 2. Your Overseas Address

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* 3. Country your animal will be exporting from

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* 4. Your intended Australian State of Arrival (this is the State that you will quarantine in)

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* 5. Your intended travel date to (or from) Australia

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* 6. If you have an intended travel date is this locked in or is it flexible? If it is flexibly please give details.

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* 7. Have you lodged an Application to Import with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). If so, is it an Assistance Animal application or general dog application?

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* 8. Have you completed the Identity Verification required by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

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* 9. Have you done the RNATT (rabies neutralising antibody titre test) for your animal? Please note that travel to Australia cannot take place less than 180 days from the date of the RNATT blood draw)

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* 10. Have you booked flights to Australia already? If so, please provide airline/s and route details.

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* 11. Please note - assistance animal in-cabin carriage requirements and evidence needed is VERY DIFFERENT for Australian routes compared to overseas routes. Many airlines WILL NOT fly assistance animals in-cabin to Australia, or on certain routes to get to Australia.

Many airlines require significant evidence to approval in-cabin travel - it is not the same as completing a DOT form for a US flight or any pet friendly flying.

Airline travel preparation is AS IMPORTANT and sometimes as more complicated than applying for assistance animal import approval to Australia.

I acknowledge that if I engage with AAI to provide support services to us that I will not book flights without first ensuring that the flights and routes allow assistance animals in cabin to Australia - and that my type of assistance animal and evidence will be acceptable to that airline.

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* 12. Between now and your planned/hoped travel date - do you have any other travel, medical, work or other commitments that would prevent or delay the following:

  • Training sessions with your animal
  • Public Access Testing with your animal
  • completing and returning all requested documents and information to us for paperwork preparation.
If yes or unsure, please add details here.. EG i have a hospital admission for surgery that will take me two weeks for surgery and recovery on these dates. I have a work conference to attend for a week in xx date. I will be travelling away from home for a holiday/work commitment on these dates ...

Thankyou.

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* 13. Your animal's name:

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* 14. How did you hear about us?
Please write your answer in the box below and include details of who the referrer was:
Word of mouth
Facebook page or group
LinkedIn
Our website
Allied Health Provider
NDIS Support Coordinator
Dog Trainer
Search engine
Current Assistance Paws Team Member
Other.

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* 15. We do not charge different rates for different clients based on their funding circumstances. Clients are offered an initial consultation (with fee), and following that, a needs analysis may be done on the assistance animal's current evidence folio. A costing proposal is then provided to prospective clients for engagement.

Please note that emergency or short notice applications and supports will attract a higher fee for service.

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* 16. Is your service/assistance animal currently recognised in your country of origin under your country's laws? Please provide context and description

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* 17. Has your service animal been legally recognised in your country of origin for longer than six months, and working/living with you for longer than six months.

Please confirm how long you have had your service animal and how long they have been legally recognised as a service/assistance animal.

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* 18. Do you have current medical evidence that you need/require your assistance/service animal to alleviate the symptoms of your disability/ies?

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* 19. Please list examples of evidence you have for your service/assistance animal.

This may include things such as
medical letter
veterinarian records that show the animal is a service/assistance animal
training records
logbooks
council or other government documents listing the animal as a service/assistance animal
flight records
and more

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* 20. Your animal's breed and species

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* 21. Sex of animal

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* 22. Age of Animal

Date

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* 23. Have you trained with a trainer or organisation? If so please provide their name and website details.

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* 24. Have you completed a Public Access Test? If so please provide details of who completed the test and when

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* 25. Please describe what training you have done yourself, or that you are doing with a trainer.

eg puppy classes, manners, community engagement, scenting, and nose work, trick training, canine good citizen, assistance animal training, therapy dog training or something else

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* 26. Is your dog a banned breed on the Australian list of banned breeds below?

Domestic/non-domestic animal hybrids (e.g. wolf-dog crosses) are not eligible for import. This includes, but not limited to:Czechoslovakian wolfdog or Czechoslovakian Vlcak, Saarloos wolfdog or Saarloos wolfhound, Lupo Italiano or Italian wolfdog, Kunming wolfdog or Kunming dog.

In accordance with the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956, dogs of the following pure breeds cannot be imported to Australia: dogo Argentino
fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier, Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.

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* 27. Has your dog ever been trained for security/guarding or protection work?

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* 28. Are you the owner of your animal, with the full right to make decisions regarding training, payment of invoices and fees, and any other decisions regarding the animal and its prospect as an assistance animal?

(Eg, please clarify if your animal is in a breeder program and your a guardian not an owner as an example. Another example might be that you are a minor and your parents own the animal).

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* 29. Is your animal up to date with vaccination schedules? Are you aware of the rigorous Biosecurity requirements for preparation to import to Australia with your animal?

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* 30. Does your animal have any health conditions? If yes, please describe in full?

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* 31. Is your animal on any medication or undergoing any treatment with a vet or home/self remedies? If yes, please describe in full.

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* 32. Does your animal have any disability, injury or history of any surgery? If yes please describe in full.

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* 33. Have you applied to or engaged a pet transporter, or other assistance animal organisation, to help you prepare to import to Australia?

If yes, please provide full details here.

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* 34. Have you engaged a veterinarian, and/or commenced the biosecurity preparations to prepare your assistance animal to import to Australia?

If yes, please provide full details here.

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* 35. Have you previously been a team with an assistance dog organisation?

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* 36. Have you ever been declined an application with an assistance animal organisation or support service? If yes, please provide details.

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* 37. Are you currently an assistance animal team with an organisation or private trainer?

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* 38. Do you have any other pets that will be emigrating to Australia w you and your assistance animal? Please describe them here

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* 39. Do you have a connection to Australia already? For example you are returning to Australia, have family or friends here, or a job offer here.

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* 40. Is there anything else that you believe we need to know or should know about your animal - regarding health, behaviour, previous jobs or circumstances (eg rescue or breeder provided). This is your opportunity to give us any information that can help us to make the best assessment and recommendations for you.

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* 41. I acknowledge that there will be a fee for any consulting or services provided to us by Assistance Animals International.

Fees will be discussed with all clients prior to any consultation or engagement.

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* 42. Please note - public access with your assistance animal can be VERY DIFFERENT in Australia compared to overseas.

Airline travel, access to the workplace and education facilities require specific applications with the provider/employer.


I acknowledge that if I engage with AAI to provide support services to us that I will advise AAI that I am seeking workplace/education access - so that AAI can assist with the application processes

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* 43. Are you ready to engage and start the import process?
Or is this a general enquiry only?
Please comment with details below

(Please note: We are a force free, ethical training provider, who does not condone the use of punishment, fear, check chains, slip collars, shock or prong in training. New handlers joining us will be required to agree to abide by a code of ethics and conduct that supports this standard, and supported to learn new training methods with their animal if needed)

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* 44. Please list any other questions or provide any further information you believe is helpful for your enquiry:

Thank you for providing your information to us.

One of our team will be in touch with you very soon by email to discuss further.

Regards
The AAI Team

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