Your Guide to Traveling to Dog Friendly Tasmania on the Spirit of Tasmania

Are you planning your trip to Tasmania with your dog, but not clear on what you need to do to bring him/her along for the adventure? Not sure what to do for boarding the Spirit of Tasmania with your dog. Well this post is your ultimate guide to bringing your dog to dog friendly Tasmania aboard the’ Spirit of Tasmania’.

Tasmania has some unique qualities that have it labeled as the ‘Wilderness State’, which means there are Biosecurity requirements to bringing a dog into Tasmania. Whether you travel via the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’, or come by some other boat means, the entry requirements are the same. At the time of writing all information is correct, but some details may be subject to change. It is always best to double check with the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ and Biosecurity Tasmania if there is anything you want clarifying.

What Animals can be brought onboard the Spirit of Tasmania

For a start Dogs obviously, or I wouldn’t have this guide for you. Livestock are a different matter and as we are not discussing livestock but pets I am not including livestock in this post. You may be traveling with other pets/animals the following can board the Spirit:

• Cats
• Rabbits
• Guinea Pigs

Smaller animals must be placed within a safe cage which meets the requirements, these requirements can be obtained from the Customer Contact Centre 1800 634 906 along with a request for the Animal Cage Declaration form and then placed inside the kennel.

Animals not permitted onboard the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ are:

• Wildlife
• Reptiles
• Amphibibians
• Birds – pigeons & doves
• Water-based animal (fish, yabbies & tortoises)
• Worms
• spiders
• Rodents
• Ferrets

General Tips for Dog Travel on board the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’

Make sure you have given your dog plenty of exercise before boarding.

• This helps them to relax and rest while in the kennel and they are more likely to sleep the journey away.
• It also gives them plenty of opportunity to empty the bowel and bladder.
• At the Geelong terminal there is an artificial grass area that you can take your dog to for that last minute pee before the journey.

Ensure that you give your dog their dinner around midday.

• This allows plenty of time for them to have gone to the toilet and for them to empty their bowels preventing accidents occurring while in the kennel. It also means that if your dog is going to suffer sea sickness, then they will have nothing to bring up while in the kennel.
• You can place a water bowl in the with your. Remember if it’s a rough crossing this could be tipped over, so something that doesn’t easily splash water about is recommended.

Pet Concierge

• There is a ‘Pet Concierge’ now available on board for kenneled dogs. They will take your pets details and note where you will be located so that if anything goes amiss you can be reached quickly and easily.
• The Pet Concierge checks the pets regularly (at the time of talking to the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ they could not tell me how often this occurrs).
• Water is topped up if necessary.
• If the crossing is rough then for the safety sake the Pet Concierge is not permitted to walk the pet decks.

At present until the new ships arrive and are operational sometime in 2025, passengers do not have access to the decks (3 & 5) that pets are located on while enroute.

Dogs are not permitted in the cabins, unless they are registered Assistance Dogs such as a guide dog for the blind.

When the new ships are operational (sometime in 2025) there are 18 new Pet Friendly Cabins that are available. These will be very popular so if a pet cabin is wanted book well in advance.

Fares for Pets

At the time of writing this blog post the cost of transporting your dog on the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ is a flat fee of $22.00 per dog per private kennel. Mothers with puppies are charged the one fee. As this is a blog about dogs you will need to check the Spirit of Tasmania Fare Bookings for the cost of taking yourself and which ever vehicle you are coming across in.

• Dog friendly cabin pricing is not yet available at the time of writing.

Kennel Information

It is a requirement that all pets travelling to Tasmania on the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ do so in the on board kennels. However, there are exceptions.

• Kennels are located on ventilated decks 3 & 5.
• Kennels are RSPCA approved. That is, they are large enough to allow movement for sitting and standing comfortably but, are not roomy enough for anything else. This is a safety requirement for the dogs so they cannot be thrown around if the crossing is rough and suffer injuries.
• You will need to bring your dog’s warm comfortable bedding with them.
• A waterproof coat is advised too as being ventilated the deck can be subject to ocean spray if wild weather.
• Fresh water is supplied.
• As a rule, it is one dog per kennel. Exceptions are given for mothers & puppies. teeny weeny dogs are permitted to share subject to safety precautions. Contact the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ customer care number and discuss if you would like 2 dogs in the one kennel.
• There is a range of kennel sizes, so extra-large dogs are catered for.
• Unfortunately kennels are NOT allocated on booking. It is first come, first served.
• I encourage you to do the right thing and place small dogs in the small kennels, medium dogs in the medium kennels and so forth.
• Dogs that require medication or assistance during the passage due to a pre-determined conditions you will need:
  • Authorization from The Master of the Vessel to check on your dog.
  • You must be supervised by TT-Line representative/Spirit of Tasmania staff member when checking on your dog

Dog Trailers/caravans/Campervans/Utes

Dogs are permitted to stay in your vehicle

However, you will need to inform the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ that you are going to leave your dog in the vehicle so staff can ensure your vehicle is parked in a well-ventilated area.

• The welfare of dogs in any type of vehicle will not be checked by a staff member during the voyage.
• The responsibility for the welfare and wellbeing of your dog in your vehicle belongs soley to you.
• You will be required to sign an Indemnity & Release Form for this when leaving your dog in any type of vehicle by contacting the Customer Contact Centre 1800 634 906. The form will be emailed to you and you need to have it filled in and returned well before your sailing date.

Purpose built Dog Trailers

These trailers need to be vet approved with owners needing a Animal Cage Declaration form.

• This form must be signed and dated by a vet an dlodged 24hrs prior to sailing.
• Forms can be obtained from the Customer Contact centre on 1800 634 906.

Your Dog’s Health Requirements to enter Tasmania

Now we have the most important section, the health requirements for your dog for entry to Tasmania. Don’t stress, these are not difficult to fulfil but are a requirement by Biosecurity Tasmania.

Dogs entering Tasmania are required by law to be given a worming treatment for Hydatid Tapeworm.

• This treatment needs to contain the ingredient – PRAZIQUANTEL for Hydatid Tapeworm treatment. Listed below are some dog wormers that contain the required ingredient:
  • Drontal Allwormer
  • Sentinel Spectrum
  • Interceptor Spectrum
  • Milbemax
  • Endogard
• The wormer application must be given within 14 days of departure. This means that if you wormed your dog 15 or more days before departure you are going to have to give a second worming on the 14th day. There are NO EXCEPTIONS, so plan carefully.
• The dosage needs to be 5mg/kg of dog body weight.
• You need t be able tp produce evidence that this has been complied with at the time of quarantine inspection and on boarding the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’. This can be in the form of an Official Statement/Certificate by the exporting State. The following information needs to be included:
  • Name of Dog
  • Date of treatment
  • Active ingredients & dosage
  • Attending Vets signature
  • Contact details of the Veterinary Clinic
• You need to obtain a Declaration by Owner or Importer for the Entry of Dogs into Tasmania.
  • Or you can fill in a Statutory Declaration from the exporting State with the above information recorded. Head to your government website to obtain this form.
  • The simplest method is bringing the pill packet and the receipt showing date of purchase, again ensure this is 14 days prior to departure with your Statutory Declaration.
• An added requirement outlined in the Biosecurity Act 2019 is that dogs must be ‘declared free from Ticks’ to prevent the Ehrlichoiosis Disease coming into Tasmania, there are NO EXEMPTIONS! Make sure this is added into your Statutory Declaration form or on the Declaration by Owner or Importer for the Entry of Dogs into Tasmania form.

Fines

If you try to enter Tasmania without meeting the above treatments or your dog’s treatment has expired your dog:

• Will be given a wormer containing Praziquantel by biosecurity Tasmania during the quarantine inspection stage.
• You could be charged for the provision of this service and could be given an on-the-spot-fine of $308.00, making it more expensive to bring your dog in than you. It’s better to comply.

Exempted Dogs/Returning Dogs to Tasmania

Certain dogs are exempt from the requirements for entering Tasmania, these dogs are:

• Assistance dogs.
• Greyhounds racing within 6 days of importation/entry. However, this requires documentation from Tasracing.
• Law enforcement dogs.
• Puppies under 12 weeks of age.
• If you are returning with your dog within 14 days of departure from Tasmania.

Departing Tasmania with a Dog

If you are going to be leaving Tassie with your dog and you don’t reside on the mainland, a month before departure your dog will need Heartworm treatment/protection. We are lucky in Tasmania as we do not have Heartworm problems, so as a local Tasweigian you may not be aware of this prolific problem for dogs on the mainland.

• For short stays such as a couple of weeks it’s recommended to give Heartworm medication one month before departure and a month after returning.
• Longer stays will require dogs to be given monthly Heartworm medication.
• If you are staying longer than 6 months consider the yearly Proheart injection.
• I have found these treatments contain the required Heartworm medication:
  • Revolution
  • Comfortis Plus
  • RSPCA Monthly Heartworm
  • Nexgard Spectra
  • Heartgard
  • Sentinel spectrum
  • ProHeart SR-12 the yearly injection

With this comprehensive guide on taking your dog too Tasmania via the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ I hope that you are now fully equipped with the right information to have the best time exploring all the dog friendly places Tasmania has to offer!

Contacts and Further Information

Spirit of Tasmania General Enquiries 1800 634 906

Spirit of Tasmanias ‘Terms and Conditions for Pets’

Biosecurity Tasmania’s Free Call hotline number 1800 684 215 for ‘Dogs to Tasmania’

Biosecurity Tasmania’s General Enquiries number 03 6165 3777

Biosecurity Tasmania’s pdf Imorting Dogs into Tasmania

Biosecurity Tasmania’s Importing Animals to Tasmania

General information on Statutory Declarations can be obtained by going to your relevant State/Territory Government Department of Justice (or the equivalent). Each State has slightly different requirements.