Rio the Quaker parrot was a tiny ball of blue feathers when Queenslander Bea brought her home six years ago.

They’ve been inseparable ever since and Bea refused to leave Rio behind when she moved more than 14,000km across the globe to Croatia a little over a year ago.

But strict Australian biosecurity laws now threaten to tear them apart – laws that probably wouldn’t be an issue if Rio was a cat or dog, instead of a Quaker parrot.

It’s illegal to import pet birds into Australia unless they meet two important criteria: one, they must be one of a number of specific parrot species, and two, they must be brought from New Zealand by owners who are relocating to Australia permanently.

All other pet birds are banned, even if they were born and raised in Australia like Rio.

Cats and dogs can be imported much more freely, provided they are imported from an approved country (of which Croatia is one) and undergo specific testing and treatment.

“It’s frustrating and upsetting pet dogs and cats can be brought back with strict biosecurity measures, but parrots like Rio aren’t given the same opportunity,” Bea told 9news.com.au.

She had no idea about the ban on bringing pet birds like Rio back into Australia until last month, when she got in touch with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (AFF) while planning her move home to Australia with Rio.

“Birds can carry diseases like avian influenza (bird flu) that have the potential to devastate Australia’s unique native birds, the poultry industry, and other birds in Australia,” an AFF spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

The ban was introduced almost 30 years ago to protect Australia’s domestic and wild animal populations from foreign diseases and pests, a concern that is still relevant in 2025.

A highly contagious strain of bird flu (H5N1) is causing devastating outbreaks in birds, mammals and, in rare cases, humans around the world and strict biosecurity laws like the one keeping Rio out help limit its spread across Australia.

Bea understands the importance of keeping pests and diseases out but wants to see the introduction of safe and legal pathways for owners to bring their pet parrots into the country.

“Australia is where I grew up and we want to return home together as a family,” she said.

“It’s unfair that other pets like dogs and cats can be relocated under these measures but parrots like Rio are excluded.”

A scientific review of the risks associated with the import of psittacine birds into Australia is currently under way and could open new avenues to owners like Bea, depending on the outcome.

“The eligibility of pet psittacine birds to be imported into Australia will only be determined when this scientific review is finished,” the AFF spokesperson said.

But that doesn’t help Bea and Rio right now.

Though she desperately wants to return home to Australia, Bea can’t imagine moving back without her little companion who adores cuddles and sings her lullabies.

Rio would also likely suffer if left behind in Croatia; pet parrots form strong emotional bonds with their owners and can decline mentally and physically if suddenly rehomed.

“Their emotional maturity is similar to that of a three-year-old human child, making them deeply sensitive to social disruption,” Daniel Gowland, facility manager of Priam Psittaculture Centre, told 9news.com.au.

He also explained that while the ban on importing parrots is designed to keep pests and disease out, they can still get into the country through the live animal black market.

So while responsible owners have no way to get their pets home, smugglers operating outside the law to import parrots profit while also putting native animal populations at risk.

“The lack of a legal import pathway, combined with the high cost of compliance, fuels illegal smuggling,” he said.

“Without a regulated process, we’re not protecting Australia’s unique environment—we’re enabling the black market to thrive.”

She has also contacted Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins to plead Rio’s case but has yet to hear back.

Though the path forward remains unclear, one thing is certain for Bea: the thought of leaving Rio behind is simply unbearable.

“I made a promise to care for her until her very last breath. No pet owner should have to choose between their home or abandoning their beloved companion.”