Bringing pets to Australia is an exhaustive, expensive process yet many still do it.

Taking the family pet overseas is not straightforward, and if you return to Australia there are some strict quarantine rules to
follow which are eye-wateringly expensive.

"Think twice before taking your pets overseas," ABC Radio Perth listener Helen warned others.

"We recently moved back to Perth from Singapore. It cost us $1,700 to take our cat over to Singapore six years ago
and $4,500 to bring her back."

Dion, coming home from a stint in the United States with two cats and a dog cost almost $20,000.
"The costs were $8,500 going there in 2013 and $US15,500 coming back, and this doesn't include actual vet costs.
"People have to be aware of the approximately six-month lead in vet testing and work to get them back in."

Cats and dogs entering from overseas must first fly to Melbourne and stay at least 10 days at the national quarantine facility,
which costs a minimum of $2,000 per animal.