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Pet quarantine by country: how long, where, and how to avoid it
Split destinations into two families. Mandatory-quarantine countries (Australia, New Zealand) built quarantine into the system: budget the days and the facility fees from the start, and in Australia's case do the identity check that cuts 30 days to 10. Penalty-quarantine countries (Japan, UK, Hawaii) hold quarantine over you as the consequence of a missed step — the entire game there is preparation, and the 'quarantine' most people experience is the shortfall of a waiting period they started too late.
For the US itself: the only quarantine in the federal system is the 28-day stay at a CDC-registered animal care facility for foreign-vaccinated dogs arriving from high-risk countries without a valid titer.
| Destination | Compliant paperwork | If rules are missed |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 10 days at Mickleham (30 without the pre-titer identity check) | Held under biosecurity control until resolved, or exported/euthanised at owner's cost |
| New Zealand | At least 10 days, MPI-approved facility | Extended until requirements are met |
| Japan | Inspection within ~12 hours, no quarantine | Detention up to 180 days to complete the titer wait |
| Hawaii | Released at the airport (Direct Airport Release) | 5 Day Or Less program, or up to 120 days |
| United Kingdom | None | Up to 4 months at owner's expense (or refused entry by sea) |
| United States (dogs, high-risk origin) | Facility exam + revaccination only, with valid titer | 28 days at the CDC-registered facility without a valid titer |
Related questions
Can I visit my pet in quarantine?
Rules differ by facility and are set by the facility, not by the import authority — Australia's Mickleham, for example, does not offer general visiting. Confirm with the facility when you book.
Who pays for quarantine?
You do, in every system on this page. Australia publishes its facility charges (AUD $56/day accommodation plus fixed charges); penalty quarantine in Hawaii is $14.30/day plus program fees.
Official sources for this page
- Australia DAFF — Quarantine facilities and fees
- Hawaii DAB — Animal Quarantine Information
- CDC — Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries
We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.