Moving to New Zealand with your pet

These regulations are imposed by the Ministry of Primary Industries and New Zealand Customs and often require long quarantine periods. There's undeniably a lot of hoops to jump through before you can be reunited with your pet on the other side of the world, but if you do your research and abide by all requirements, most people end up reunited with a happy, healthy pet on the other side.

Read also Traveling to New Zealand

Conditions and procedures

Due to the complexity of the undertaking, the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has compiled a step-by-step checklist for those who wish to import their cats and dogs. Most importation information online refers to these two species, but if you are looking to import other species, there are different procedures to follow. Always be sure to consult government sources if you are importing animals, as these will contain the most up-to-date information about the process, which can be subject to change. Importing a pet can be a lengthy procedure, but by following the government guidelines, you can make it as painless as possible.

To import a cat or dog to New Zealand, you must:

• Read the import health standard, guidance document, and checklists for cats and dogs.
• Check that your cat or dog is eligible for import into New Zealand.
• Ensure that your dog is not a prohibited breed or type, and be aware of restrictions on hybrids.
• Consider using a pet transporter (recommended).
• Book an MPI-approved quarantine facility if required.
• Apply for a permit to import from MPI at least 20 working days before you need the permit (all cats and dogs except from Australia).
• Meet all import requirements.
• Notify an official veterinarian in New Zealand if you are importing a cat or dog from Australia, or an assistance dog from an approved country that meets MPI's eligibility criteria.
• Check inspection times for biosecurity clearance for cats and dogs from Australia and assistance dogs from countries of any category.
• Declare any medication your animal is taking.

Good to know:

Certain dog breeds or types are prohibited from import into New Zealand, including the Brazilian Fila, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Perro de Presa Canario, and American Pit Bull Terrier. Hybrid offspring of dogs or cats crossed with another species are also generally not eligible for importation, with the exception of Bengal cats (which must have documentation showing 5 generations of domestic ancestry).

Read also Relocating to New Zealand

Pet relocation companies 

It is recommended that you use a reputable pet relocation company to assist with the process of importing your pet to New Zealand. The company should be able to provide you with information on the requirements and help you to coordinate all the necessary steps.

There are a number of pet relocation companies that can help you get your pet to New Zealand, including:

• Petraveller:

Petraveller is a global pet relocation company that specializes in transporting pets to New Zealand. They offer a range of services, including packing, transportation, and quarantine management.

• PetRelocation:

PetRelocation is a global pet relocation company that can help you transport your pet to New Zealand. They offer a range of services, including packing, transportation, and quarantine management.

• Airpets:

Airpets is a global pet relocation company that specializes in transporting pets to New Zealand. They offer a range of services, including packing, transportation, and quarantine management.

• Jetpets:

Jetpets is a global pet relocation company that can help you transport your pet to New Zealand. They offer a range of services, including packing, transportation, and quarantine management.

Steps for importing your pet to New Zealand

Get all the necessary information

You will need to provide a range of documentation when importing your pet to New Zealand, including a health certificate, proof of ownership, and a quarantine booking form. Sometimes more forms will be required depending on your situation. The pet relocation company should be able to assist you with obtaining the necessary documents, but if you are moving your pet without a dedicated company, refer to the MPI website for the best source of documentation – indeed, many forms are available in PDF form on the website.

Prepare your pet for travel

Make sure your pet is healthy and up-to-date on all its vaccinations before you start the process of importing it to New Zealand. You will likely need to provide evidence of its vaccination history as part of the documentation required. Before leaving, dogs need to be examined by a licensed veterinarian. Dogs must also be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, and in possession of a health card and a certificate of vaccination.

Arrange for transportation

Work with the pet relocation company to arrange for the transportation of your pet to New Zealand. This may involve flying your pet on an airline that allows pets or shipping it by sea. If you are operating without a pet relocation company, you will need to reach out to airlines and shipping services to determine their requirements.

Pet quarantine in New Zealand

Most pets that are imported into New Zealand are required to go through a quarantine period to ensure that they do not have any diseases that could be transmitted to other animals or humans. The length of the quarantine period will depend on the specific circumstances of your pet.

Thankfully, in most cases, you will be able to visit your pet while it is in quarantine in New Zealand. MPI operates a number of quarantine facilities in New Zealand where imported pets are held during the quarantine period. These facilities allow pets to be held in a comfortable and stress-free environment while they are being monitored for any diseases that could be transmitted to other animals or humans.

While your pet is in quarantine, you will usually be able to visit it during designated visiting hours. These hours may vary depending on the specific quarantine facility and the needs of your pet. It is important to note that you may need to follow certain guidelines when visiting your pet, such as wearing protective clothing or observing certain hygiene practices.

Rabies in New Zealand

When importing pets to New Zealand, it is important to be aware of the risks of rabies, a deadly viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals. To help prevent the spread of rabies to New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has strict requirements in place for the importation of pets from countries where rabies is present. In general, pets coming from "rabies-free" or "low-risk" countries will have a shorter quarantine period than pets coming from countries where rabies is present. For pets coming from "rabies-free" countries, the quarantine period may be as short as 10 days, while for pets coming from "low-risk" countries, the quarantine period may be between 30 and 50 days. For pets coming from countries where rabies is present, the quarantine period may be longer, depending on the specific circumstances of the pet and the risk of rabies transmission. In some cases, the quarantine period may be as long as 180 days.

Before importing a pet to New Zealand, you will need to check that your pet is eligible for import: Not all countries are considered "rabies-free" or "low-risk" for rabies, and pets from some countries may not be eligible for import into New Zealand at all. If your pet is eligible, it must have a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arriving in New Zealand. You will need to provide proof of vaccination as part of the import documentation.

On arrival in New Zealand

Pets from Australia will not be quarantined upon arrival in New Zealand. However, they will have to undergo a full medical examination by a licensed New Zealand veterinarian. Animals being imported from other countries will have varying quarantine requirements, which will be established once you begin the importation process.