New hope for Australians with pets stranded overseas, after flight rule change

There's new hope for Australians who have pets stuck overseas, with animals now able to return home more easily.

Many pets of expats have been left stranded by the coronavirus pandemic.

Their heartbroken owners were forced to return home from their lives overseas due to COVID-19, with many losing their jobs since March.

But it was difficult to ship pets on the limited available flights.

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Flying animals needs to be planned months in advance and Australia only has one animal quarantine facility in Melbourne, which closed to all passenger flights due to the virus outbreak.

While cargo flights were possible, the quarantine facility filled up fast and wasn't taking new animals.

Flying a pet into another destination in Australia also wasn't allowed.

Kate McQuestin set up a campaign after being forced to leave family dog, Yuki, in Japan in April.

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The family left the country, where they'd lived for two years, when the pandemic hit to return to Sydney.

They had hoped Yuki would follow a few days later.

But by July, they were still not able to get the French bulldog on a flight.

Finally, after spending $10,000 and comforting her two children, Oliver, 12, and Isabella, 10, who asked daily when Yuki was coming home, they were reunited last week.

It was made possible thanks to the Department of Agriculture changing the rule that all animals must land in Melbourne from overseas.

Ms McQuestin said it was an emotional moment to see Yuki again.

"It was wonderful, so surreal," she said.

"Because there was that change, that interim arrangement, Yuki was able to come home.

"Qantas were unbelievable and the Department of Agriculture were really good.

"We're just really happy we're together. We felt like Yuki was a vital member of the family.

"It's a dream come true."

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Ms McQuestin set up a website and petition with about 50 other animal owners to try and get the government to help change the rules.

It includes people with dogs and cats stuck in Japan, the UAE, UK, Chile, Malaysia and Singapore.

Finally, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud announced Qantas could fly pets by cargo to Sydney at the end of last month and then on to Melbourne for quarantine.

Ms McQuestin said many other pet owners have now also been reunited or have flights booked.

However, people with snub nose dogs are still having issues as only some airlines will take them.

Limited flights mean it's still a challenge; some families in Canada are even chartering a cargo flight just for their pets, she said.

She also knew of a dog which has died since its owners started trying to get it home.

Mr Littleproud noted when he announced the changes that "pets are part of the family in almost every household in Australia".

"The Australian Government understands how hard it has been for some pet owners to make the difficult decision to leave their pets behind due to the COVID-19 inflicted travel restrictions," he said.

"That is why we have worked with Qantas to offer an alternative arrangement for cats and dogs to be reunited with their families during these difficult times."

The Department of Agriculture said: "1500 animals have arrived into the Mickleham PEQ facility since 1 April 2020 and been reunited with their families at the completion of their mandatory quarantine period.

"The department has worked with Qantas airlines to develop  a temporary arrangement for eligible cats and dogs to tranship via Sydney to the Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Melbourne."

Contact journalist Sarah Swain: SSwain@nine.com.au

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