JOHNNY DEPP'S DOGS, LEAVE AUSTRALIA FOR FLIGHT HOME TO US

Johnny Depp's dogs, Boo and Pistol, leave Australia for flight home to US after breaching quarantine rules

Two pet dogs owned by Hollywood star Johnny Depp have been flown out of Australia.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce made the announcement on Friday night in a simple tweet: "Dogs gone."

An official media statement later said an officer from the Agriculture Department escorted the dogs — Boo and Pistol — from the mansion where Depp was staying on the Gold Coast to the airport for their flight home.

"Two dogs that were brought into Australia without meeting our import requirements have now been exported back to their country of origin," Mr Joyce said in the statement.

"The department issued the necessary export documentation and correspondence to the relevant veterinary authority to facilitate the repatriation of the dogs.

"All costs associated with returning the dogs were met by the owners."

Depp has been living on the Gold Coast to film the latest instalment of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise.

He is to face a formal interview with quarantine officers as part of investigations into how his two Yorkshire terriers were allegedly smuggled into the country.

Mr Joyce said despite the "hype and sensation surrounding the dogs' owners", Australia had strict biosecurity requirements for good reasons.

"To protect Australia from exotic pests and diseases that can seriously harm humans, animals and our economy," he said.

"Dogs can potentially carry a range of diseases including rabies, ehrlichia, leishmania and leptospirosis.

"These diseases are not present in Australia and some can seriously affect people."

Mr Joyce rejected allegations that the incident was a failing of Australia's biosecurity system.

"It is in fact evidence that the system is working, given the dogs were discovered, placed under a quarantine order, and now successfully exported," he said.

Earlier on Friday Sydney shock jock Kyle Sandilands blasted Mr Joyce in a heated exchange on his KIIS FM morning show.

"You sound like an absolute clown telling the guy to bugger off back to Hollywood or we'll kill his dogs. You sound like an idiot," Sandilands said.

"You're a government minister, not some idiot off the street mouthing off to a news camera. Have some decency."

Mr Joyce fired back, saying: "Jeez Kyle, that seems interesting coming from you mate."

"You're a savage little man, aren't you?"

The Australian Government said it supported the makers of Pirates Of The Caribbean.

It allowed two capuchin monkeys to be brought into the country for filming, but those animals had gone through proper quarantine processes.

ABC