Bringing a cat to New Zealand

I have never done this, but I can tell you that Lufthansa Airlines ships animals anywhere in the world.  When I traveled with them, some passengers took their small dogs and cats with them in a small cage on the plane.  You could fly from their hub in Frankfurt to New Zealand with your cat. 

Of course, you would have to get approval to bring your cat into the country from the government of New Zealand before you begin your journey.  They will tell you the rules you must follow to bring your cat when you get information on immigration.

Good luck.

Welcome on board Firebird & James

Sorry if I sound like the voice of doom and gloom, but as an animal lover, I want to reply to your post.

Lots of people bring their pets to NZ, but you are not allowed to sedate them on the journey.  My friend told me both her cats were traumatised by the journey from the UK.  And if you google it, some animals do not make it either, but you seldom hear of this.  There are things to consider other than just finding a good shipping agency, like ensuring they are placed in a good part of the cargo hold if the plane refuels for hours in a hot country. They don't often tell you this.   And I do not think you are allowed to have your pet with you on a long haul flight.


But before you bring your cat over, you owe it to him to make 100% sure you are going to stay, because things have changed very much over the last 20 yrs. Visiting on holiday is very different to actually living here. If you decide not to stay, it can be a very expensive nightmare taking your cat home again.  It involves vaccinations, then a six month wait to ensure they have sufficient antibodies.  This includes sending blood samples over to Australia for testing.  And if there is insufficient antibodies, you have to do the whole process again.  I am not sure if you can bypass this and just go for quarantine in your own country instead.  But would you want your cat in quarantine either?

Bringing a pet over, without being 100% sure you will stay, is definitely a huge risk for your pet. You need to put his needs first.

There are actually some restrictions with bringing any pets from any part of the world to any specific place. Though it is fairly easy to get clearance so that you could transport your pet. Though depending on your destination, there are some who require further checks that you have to consult with the local animal agency.

With domestic ones though, they give a little more room for you to work with as they are not that much of a burden to be with.

When you get there please can you get a bell for your cat, there are many endangered species in NZ including the ground living  Kiwi and Weta.

Hello Darla.R!

You are talking about what?

Why are you talking about getting a bell for the cat?

Harmonie.

Obviously Darla is a conservationist concerned about endangered species here...and quite rightly so.  But I think one important question here is whether people should bring their pets with them at the start of emigration without knowing if they will settle permanently. Not all animals survive being transported and not all adapt to living here.  It's a lot to ask of our pets simply to meet our own needs. 

Darla...how many kiwi birds (feathered variety) are actually living in the cities?