Biosecurity Control and Transportation Key Points for Shipping Pet Food to Australia
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) in Australia implements the world’s strictest biosecurity inspections for pet food imports. All imported products must be declared in advance through the Australian Border Force (ABF) system and obtain import permits. Documents such as ingredient lists, production process descriptions, veterinary health certificates, and certificates of origin must be provided, and the products must not contain any animal – derived ingredients (except under special permits).
Packaging materials must be fumigated to ensure no pest or disease contamination. Labels must be in English, detailing ingredients, feeding methods, net content, shelf life, and importer information. During transportation, temperature and humidity must be strictly controlled. For sea freight, temperature – controlled containers are recommended, and for air freight, airlines with cold – chain transportation qualifications should be selected.
During customs clearance, the DAWE will conduct X – ray inspections, laboratory tests, and on – site sampling inspections on the goods. If the goods do not meet the requirements, they will be directly destroyed or returned. To improve the customs clearance rate, it is recommended to conduct pre – inspections before shipping and purchase insurance covering quarantine risks to protect the value of the goods.