Pet Travel To New Zealand
New Zealand has its own very specific set of import veterinary requirements when traveling with your pet to anywhere in New Zealand. We ask that you get in touch with us for the details, but these are basic requirements that you need to know as well as some steps that you can do to ready your pets for their relocation.
What We Can Do For You
A personalised touch to each step of pet travel to New Zealand.
Airline Bookings
Handling the full process of booking your pets flights to their new home. As an IPATA member we have partnerships with all the airlines, and always try to negotiate the best possible rate for you.
Veterinary Health Certificates
Avoid the hassles, while we work closely with many of our veterinary partners and state vets to ensure all relevant certificates and documents are completed correctly according to destination requirements.
Custom Pet Travel Crates
Our animal crates are IATA approved, fumigated, sterilised and custom made to the size and breed of your pet. Each crate is well ventilated and includes water bowls with fitted funnels on the outside to allow for easy top-up of water at each point along the way.
First-Class Pet Travel and Comfort
Each crate is fitted with a custom made, specialised AeroPets bed that is super comfy for your pet. The beds are also liquid repellent and are fitted on top of absorbent mats and carpets. Click here to see more about the comfy Pet Travel Beds.
Pet Handling
The AeroPets staff are professional, friendly, caring and knowledgeable pet handlers that will be able to offer advice and travel tips every step of the way. We will go above and beyond to put your mind at ease and make sure your fur-babies are always handled with love and care.
Collection and Deliveries
Handling all of the collection and deliveries required for your pets transportation. With our fully secure and ventilated/air conditioned vehicle, pets are always carefully loaded and safely delivered to each destination.
Customs Clearance
For all pet travel exports, there is SARS customs clearance that must be done. Proof of customs clearance must be submitted to the airline along with your pets on the date of their departure. AeroPets will handle the full customs clearance process for you and ensure that all export customs requirements are properly met.
Is your pet eligible for pet travel to New Zealand?
The following breeds are not eligible for importation:
- Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull
- Dogo Argentino
- Brazilian Fila
- Japanese Tosa
- Any breeds crossed with the above-mentioned
What you can expect with pet travel to New Zealand.
Veterinary Requirements
- Microchip – ISO approved
- Rabies vaccination – PRIMARY vaccination: (given not less than 6 months and not more than 1 year prior to the date of the shipment when your pet was at least 3 months old
- Rabies vaccination – BOOSTER: given not more than one year prior to the date of the shipment (note: Rabies vaccination must be kept up to date from date of sample collection for Rabies titre test to date of shipment)
- Rabies Titre Test: the pet/s must be subjected to a FAVN or RFFIT Rabies neutralizing antibody titration test on a sample collected not less than 3 months and not more than 24 months prior to date of shipment, with a result of 0.5 IU/ml
- Internal parasite treatment (cats and dogs) must be treated TWICE with a product or combination of products registered for the control of nematodes and cestodes at the manufacturers recommended dose. The first treatment was given in the 30 days prior to the date of the shipment and at least 2 weeks before the second treatment. The second treatment was given in the four consecutive days prior to the date of the shipment.
- External parasite treatments (cats and dogs) must be treated by a vet TWICE with a topical product registered for the control of ticks and fleas at the manufacturers recommended dose and certified as free from external parasites at each treatment. The first treatment was given in the 30 days prior to the date of shipment and at least 2 weeks before the second treatment and the animals was free of externals parasites. The second treatment was given in the 2 days prior to the date of the shipment and the animal was free of external parasites.
- Leptospirosis Treatment or testing for dogs
- Brucella Canis testing for dogs: the dog has been subjected to a rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT) with a negative result in the 16 days prior to the date if the shipment OR the dog had a positive or inconclusive RSAT result and has been subjected to a rapid agglutination test (TAT) with a negative result in the 16 days prior to the date if shipment OR the dog had a positive or inconclusive RSAT or TAT result and has been subjected to a cytoplasmic agar gel immunodiffusion test (CPAg-AGID) with a negative result, with the second sample collected in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment OR the dog had a suspicious TAT result and the test was repeated in 30 to 42 days with a negative result, with the second sample collected in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment.
- Babesia Canis Treatment for dogs: the dog has been given one injection if imidocarb dipropionate at 7.5 mg/kg IM in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment OR the dog has been subjected to an IFA or ELISA test for Babesia Canis with a negative result in the 16 days prior to the date of the shipment OR the dog has been subjected to two negative PCR tests for Babesia Gspp or Babesia canis with negative results on samples collected 30-37 days apart with the second sample collected in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment.
- Heartworm treatment for dogs.
Examination: in the 48 hours prior to the date of shipment, the pets were examined and found to be free from clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease, free from external parasites and free from any visible signs of canine transmissible venereal tumour on examination of external genitalia.
Getting your pet Vet prepped for entry into New Zealand
The veterinary requirements for pet entry into New Zealand are lengthy and quite complicated. Any vets will be able to assist you in doing the necessary steps but not all of them know exactly what is required, the timings and intricate details for these destinations. We partner and work in conjunction with Paws-Resort. They are a kenneling facility owned and run by vets – armed with a “Pet Travel Clinic” and know (extensively) each of the nitty-gritty requirements to have your pet/s ready for entry into New Zealand. They will guide and direct you every step of the way, leaving you safe and feeling secure in knowing that your pets will be 100% ready for their travel.
Quarantine in New Zealand
10 days Quarantine is required
Get a Quick Quote
Request a quote through our online form for pet travel to New Zealand.
Pet Travel To New Zealand FAQs
For some peace of mind, here are a few of our frequently asked questions
Is cargo travel really safe for pets?
Safety is a top concern when it comes to considering a pet move, and we’re confident in saying that yes, pet air travel is safe when you’ve taken all the necessary precautions. To start, this means choosing a pet-friendly airline whose cargo area is pressure and temperature-controlled and who has solid, established pet safe policies in place. Before you travel we also recommend talking with your vet about any health concerns, helping your pet get to a healthy weight through diet and exercise, and perhaps most importantly, working to crate train your pet well before the move.
Is my pet safe and where will my pet travel in the aircraft?
Your pet will travel in a pressurized, heated and ventilated cargo hold inside the airplane, located just below the passenger compartments. Tie-down straps secure your pet\’s flight kennel to the deck of the cargo compartment. Your pets will be safe 🙂
In what sort of flight kennel (crate/box) should my pet be transported?
A pet from North America travels in a plastic container while those from the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa travel in wooden boxes constructed to the dimensions of the pet. Regulations require that your pet be able to stand erect, turn comfortably and lie down with ease in the shipping container.
What can my pet travel with inside the flight kennel?
We recommend their usual blanket/pillow (something you aren’t afraid to lose and nothing too big and bulky) and a familiar soft object (such as a T-shirt or favourite toy as long as it is not an animal or meat product) along with the required water dishes.
Should I do anything special to prepare my pet for flight as it relates to food and water?
Familiarise your pets with the flight kennel they will use a few days before the trip. Very importantly, there must always be water available before, during and after the journey. Water must always be available (which is why all travel boxes have a water bowl in it). As to food, however, it\’s actually best that most animals (including dogs and cats) travel on an empty (or close to empty) stomach. We understand that you worry your pet will be hungry, especially if it\’s a long-haul journey, but we ask that you trust this bit of very important advice: Do not feed your pet for at the very least 4 hours before you drop them off at the airport for departure, and preferably longer. We generally aim for about 8-10 hours. Unlike human beings who need (or feel they need) to eat regularly, many types of animal, including dogs and cats are very capable of and even comfortable with going without food for a good 24 hours. Of course we agree that this is not what you want to do every day but in an air-travel situation, we promise you that all your pets and animals will be just fine. In fact, they will be better than if you do feed them because of the dramatically reduced risk of toileting (urine and faeces) in their travel box, which means they stay cleaner and more comfortable overall. Reduced likelihood of nausea/vomiting in case they have any kind of reaction to the movement of their crate or as a result of anxiety (though it should be said that vomiting under any circumstances is quite rare). Sound scary? Try not to worry too much. This approach really does work very well indeed.
How are pets handled at transfer airports?
Many airports around the world offer animal care lounges, animal hotels, and animal transit facilities. Pets that require a transfer during their global journey are cared for between flights by dedicated airline animal care professionals who understand the needs of traveling and relocating family pets.
Should my pet receive sedatives, tranquilizers, antihistamines, anti-anxiety or other drugs before flight?
Not at all. Nothing should be administered that reduces their ability to respond to their environment. Veterinarians around the world recognise the inherent dangers of tranquilizers, sedatives and such because they may alter pets’ physiological responses to flight.
Will my traveling and relocating pet be stressed during the flight, and are there any post-flight effects?
If you pre-flight condition your pet to the travel kennel and reduce food intake, stress is minimal and usually causes no post-flight effects. The captain of the aircraft flying your pet is given a manifest of what is aboard the aircraft during flight. The temperature of the animal cargo area is controlled by the captain and the flight crew, assuring safe transport of your family pet.
How do I measure my pets for the travel crates?
