The journey from Senegal to Australia for a pet is straightforward to plan once the key dates are mapped out. This is one of the more demanding routes, so allow around 45-60 weeks and treat the timeline as fixed. A 10 day quarantine stay …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Senegal to Australia
typically takes around 45-60 weeks.
Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Senegal to Australia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm Senegal's current DAFF status and Singapore's own classification of pets arriving from Senegal
Responsible: You
Before booking anything. Check BICON and AVS directly, since both lists can change.
2
Microchip, then complete the rabies primary course
Responsible: Vet in Senegal
Before travel to Singapore.
3
Get the DSV export authorisation and certificate
Responsible: DSV-authorised vet
Ahead of the flight to Singapore.
4
Fly Dakar to Singapore via Dubai on Emirates, meeting Singapore's entry conditions
Responsible: You or an agent working both legs
Once vaccination and DSV paperwork are complete.
5
Begin the 180-day continuous Singapore residency clock
Responsible: You
From the date any Singapore entry hold or quarantine clears.
6
Apply for the DAFF import permit and pre-book Mickleham
Responsible: You or your agent
During the Singapore residency period.
7
Fly Singapore to Melbourne, then 10 days at Mickleham
Responsible: Airline cargo handler and DAFF
Once residency and the permit are both confirmed.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Australia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785, implanted before rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Full primary course completed before any blood draw, in Senegal or after arrival in Singapore.
Rabies titre test
Not required for the Singapore-to-Australia leg itself, since Singapore holds DAFF Group 2 status. Singapore's own entry conditions for a pet coming from Senegal depend on AVS's current risk categorisation of the country, which is separate from DAFF's system and should be confirmed directly with avs.nparks.gov.sg before travel.
Quarantine
Mandatory 10 days at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, Melbourne, regardless of your pet's final Australian destination.
Import permit
DAFF import permit via BICON, applied for during the Singapore residency period. Approximately AUD 420, 20 to 30 days to process.
Health certificate
DAFF-format certificate issued by an official vet in Singapore, AVS-endorsed, close to the Australia travel date.
Export permit (Senegal)
Import/export authorisation from the Direction des Services Veterinaires (DSV), Ministere de l'Elevage et des Productions Animales, Dakar.
Costs
What this route typically costs
DSV export authorisation and certificate: XOF 30,000 to XOF 70,000 (approximately AUD 75 to AUD 175)
Dakar to Singapore cargo fee via Dubai on Emirates: USD 1,500 to USD 3,500
Singapore residency costs (rent, vet registration, any AVS-required quarantine): a minimum six-month outlay, highly variable
DAFF import permit: approximately AUD 420
Singapore to Melbourne cargo fee: AUD 1,200 to AUD 2,800
Mickleham 10-day quarantine: AUD 2,000 to AUD 4,000
IPATA agent fee for a two-leg move: AUD 1,800 to AUD 3,800
Total direct cost excluding Singapore living expenses: roughly AUD 9,000 to AUD 17,000
Critical points to read before you book
Senegal is not on any DAFF approved country list. There is no direct route and no waiver for a well-documented pet. The Singapore stepping stone is the only legal pathway.
Note the asymmetry with this pet's US route: Senegal is on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, which is a completely separate American classification system. Its absence from DAFF's approved lists is a different, Australian, biosecurity decision and would apply even if the CDC list changed.
The 180 days of Singapore residency must be unbroken. Any period spent back in Senegal, or in another non-approved country, resets the clock.
Emirates' single-carrier Dakar-Dubai-Singapore routing is convenient but still needs booking well ahead. Confirm live animal cargo space on both sectors before finalising a travel date.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
EMIRATES
Emirates
Runs Dakar to Dubai around 5 times a week (roughly 9 hours 15 minutes direct), then Dubai to Singapore on its own network. A single-carrier routing for the whole first stage of this move, through Emirates SkyCargo, rather than switching airlines partway.
Cargo Only
TURKISH
Turkish Airlines
Alternative via Istanbul, connecting on to Singapore. Worth comparing against Emirates on schedule and crate-size pricing, particularly in peak relocation months.
Cargo Only
SINGAPORE
Singapore Airlines
Handles the Singapore-to-Melbourne cargo leg once the 180-day residency period is complete. Frequent service, well versed in the Mickleham handover process.
Cargo Only
QANTAS
Qantas
Alternative for the Singapore-to-Australia sector if Singapore Airlines Cargo capacity is booked out on your date.
Cargo Only
The rules for bringing a pet into Australia
Australia runs a strict import regime, so every document is checked closely on arrival. Build your plan around the fixed waiting periods, because they set the pace for everything else.
How to keep this move on track
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
FAQ
Common questions about Senegal to Australia pet transport
No. Senegal doesn’t appear on any of DAFF’s approved country lists, so direct import isn’t permitted. Your pet needs to be relocated to an approved country, typically Singapore, and live there continuously for 180 days before an Australian entry can be arranged.
Emirates operates both the Dakar-Dubai sector and onward Dubai-Singapore flights, giving a single-carrier route for the first leg of this move. You’ll still need to satisfy Singapore’s own entry conditions on arrival before the 180-day Australian residency clock can begin.
These are two unrelated classification systems. The CDC’s high-risk list governs American entry for dogs and is based on documented rabies case data. DAFF’s approved country groups are Australia’s own biosecurity assessment and don’t reference the CDC’s list at all. Senegal’s absence from DAFF’s system would stand even if its US classification changed.
Plan for 45 to 60 weeks from a standing start. Most of that is the fixed 180-day Singapore residency, plus whatever Singapore’s own entry process adds, the DAFF permit processing window, and the final 10-day Mickleham quarantine.
No. DAFF’s non-approved-country pathway and the 180-day Singapore residency requirement apply equally to cats and dogs. There’s no species-based exemption in the Australian system, unlike the lighter US federal rules that apply to cats specifically.
Airline guides
Emirates
Turkish Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Qantas
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.