How to Transport a Pet to New Zealand
Moving your things is easy compared to moving your pets. When you are asked to travel or relocate, the thought of bringing your beloved dog or cat to a foreign country such as New Zealand can be stressful. Transporting your pets to New Zealand is not as difficult as it sounds as long as you fill out the necessary documents, contract with a reliable quarantine facility, make travel arrangements with your airlines, and ensure that your dog or cat has a thorough checkup by your veterinarian before you leave.
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Things You'll Need
- Permit to import
- Name and Contact Information for quarantine/transitional facility
- Completed health certificate from an authorized veterinarian of the country of origin
- Microchip number for the dog or cat
- New Zealand address and contact information for owner
- Pet's Flight number and arrival time of plane
- Approved Kennel for transportation
- Pet Medication (if needed, with copy of veterinarian prescription)
Instructions
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Contact a quarantine/transitional Facility. If you are traveling from Australia, the United Kingdom or Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Hawaii, and Singapore, where rabies is not a problem, your pet will not require quarantine or an import permit. If you are traveling from other countries, such as the mainland United States, your pet will require quarantine for up to 30 days. Before traveling and applying for a permit, you must contract with a quarantine facility in New Zealand to make arrangements to house your dog or cat for quarantine period and meet your pet at customs at the airport on the date that your pet will arrive. These facilities can also assist you in making travel arrangements for your pet.
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Apply for an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Biosecurity of New Zealand as your pet cannot enter New Zealand without one. You will need to provide where you and your pet will reside in New Zealand, contact information for the person sending your pet, name of your pet, species, breed, date of birth, when it will be traveling and the quarantine facilities that will house your pet once it arrives in New Zealand.
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See your local veterinarian. Your dog or cat must be in good health, treated for fleas and ticks, have a working microchip under the skin, be up to date on all its shots and possess a negative test result for rabies within three weeks of traveling to New Zealand. A health certificate and test results must accompany your pet when it is transported.
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Transport your pet. Contact your airlines regarding its guidelines for transporting animals and make sure that you place your pet in an internationally approved kennel/crate. Agencies such as the Animal Transportation Association and the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association can provide you with companies specializing in transporting pets internationally. Make sure that all copies of the necessary information (e.g., name of pet, breed, date of birth, Microchip Number, Owner Name and Place of Residency in New Zealand, Health certificate, test results, permit number and permit) and any prescriptions/medication accompany your pet.
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Meet your pet in New Zealand. An MAF Inspector will examine the documentation accompanying your pet, the overall health of your pet, and ensure that no ticks or fleas are found on the animal, bedding or container. Once the inspector issues a biosecurity clearance, your pet will be met by the transitional facility for predetermined quarantine period. You can meet your pet at the quarantine facility. Once the 30 days have ended, MAF will issue a biosecurity release document so your pet can go home to you.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure that you have taken care of all the associated import and New Zealand veterinary service fees.
Remember that it takes three weeks to process the pet permit application for New Zealand and it is only good for one month after the designated travel date.
Keep your Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Veterinary Officer and Airport Quarantine Services contact information on hand should any emergency occur en route to New Zealand or at the destination airport.
Provide the quarantine facility with a copy of your passport and New Zealand residency information/visa as the facility personnel cannot clear customs with your pets unless they possess all the correct documentation.
Ensure that the quarantine facility has the correct ticket number for your cat or dog so the facility can pick up your pet as soon as they are released by MAF at the airport.
Only dogs and cats 6 months or older can be imported to New Zealand.
American pit bull terrier, dogo Argentino, Japanese tosa and Brazilian fila breeds cannot be imported to New Zealand.
You cannot bring your pet bird, snake and other reptiles, ferrets or mice to New Zealand.
More than three month's worth of veterinary medication may not be allowed in the country. If you have a pet requiring ongoing medical care, contact the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Group.
Certain types of veterinary medication may not be allowed in the country. Check with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand.
A Permit to Import will not be issued unless you provide a copy of your contract with a quarantine facility.
Bedding that contains fleas and ticks will be destroyed.
There must be no fleas or ticks on the pet or equipment (kennel, leads, halter, grooming paraphernalia) or the owner will be responsible for all associated treatment costs which may include cleaning, destruction or reshipment of equipment
MAF Quarantine services at the New Zealand airport of arrival must be notified 72 hours prior to arrival of any animal and be provided with the flight number and arrival time of the animal.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit dog in a cage image by igor kisselev from Fotolia.com
