Advice From Australian Government Imports Department About Microchip And RNAT Test

Microchip numbers that are 9, 10 or 15 digits long are generally readable by International Standards Organisation (ISO) compatible scanners.

It is critical that the microchip number that appears when scanned is identical to the number on your animal’s import permit and supporting documentation.

The Department of Agriculture requires that animals to be imported are implanted with an ISO compatible microchip to ensure the microchip can be read by all the relevant authorities and officers. If the microchip differs from the Department of Agriculture Import Permit, cannot be found or read upon the animal’s arrival in Australia, the animal will be exported to the country of origin.

If there is any doubt that the microchip can be read by an ISO scanner you may wish to send a scanner that can read the microchip together with your dog at the time of export to ensure that Australian authorities will be able to scan the microchip.

The Department of Agriculture considers Cambodia as a non-approved country.

Please refer to our website for further details on the specific steps for importing your dog from Cambodia via a Category 3 country –

http://www.agriculture.gov.au/cats-dogs/step-by-step-guides/nac-cat2and3dogs

The Department of Agriculture suggests that 3-4 weeks should elapse between the primovaccination and the blood draw date for a Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT). This waiting period is required to enable the animal's system time to produce sufficient antibodies to record an acceptable titre result.

If your dog has been vaccinated against rabies previously, it is likely that an RNATT would produce an acceptable result if performed before, or at the time of the rabies booster vaccination.

If an unsatisfactory result is returned you will have to repeat the RNATT.

A minimum of 180 days must elapse from the date that the blood sample arrives at the lab for this RNAT test (test result must be >0.5 ml/UL) and the date of export to Australia.

The laboratory report for the Rabies Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) must be conducted by an OIE Rabies Reference Laboratory or the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (Step 4). The Department of Agriculture doesn’t accept laboratory reports for the initial RNATT of a cat/dog originating in a non-approved country. For OIE Rabies Reference Laboratory please see the following link: http://www.oie.int/our-scientific-expertise/reference-laboratories/list-of-laboratories/

You may apply for the import permit once the initial RNATT laboratory report is available (Step 5).

The Department recommends you contact the Official Government Veterinary administration in the approved country as they will be able to assist you with locating a “government approved veterinarian” and a “government approved laboratory" for the confirmation RNAT Test (Step 8).