Moving my two cats from Canada to New Zealand

[TwoStrayCats]

We have two kitties that I can't bear to leave behind
does anyone have any helpful advice / pet re-locators that they have used to do this?

I know it's going to be super expensive! but I think they're worth every cent

Currently living in Alberta Canada so for anyone who has done this from Canada before any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much
Lily

[dilanium]

I defo recommend IPT if you can use them from Canada. They took great care of my cat- and there were a few clerical problems on his important permits.

IPT = http://www.iptlax.com/

[TwoStrayCats]

Thanks for the link I am going to email them to see if they have an office in Canada, from their website it looks like they just might be US based ...

how did your furry handle the journey?

[Addicted to NZ]

You could check this relocating company, they are in Alberta - http://www.boomerangpetcarrier.com/

You could also check here at IPATA, they have a list of approved shippers and a list of Pet Scams. http://www.ipata.com/

If you are moving house and using Crown movers they also offer Pet Relocation Service - http://www.crownrelo.com/relo/ph/ser...elocation.html. I don't know how good Crown is at moving pets (we didn't know they had the service, but had we known ....we would have probably used them).

To the best of my knowledge quarantine has changed from 30 days and is only 10 days now.

Good Luck!

[TwoStrayCats]

thank you so much Addicted to NZ! much appreciated

[dilanium]

Well we had to leave him for a few months behind, so it had been months since he's seen us by the time we visited him in quarantine. He was VERY happy to see us. But everyone along the way seemed to love him. (Apparently the USDA vet offered to keep him if we couldn't fix his permit).

[TwoStrayCats]

glad to hear that he's doing okay! just out of curiosity why was there a delay in his arrival? I am trying to get everything sorted super well in advance of our move,
there is so much to do! it feels a little overwhelming

[Addicted to NZ]

I am assuming that roughly the same test have to happen for cats as for dogs (with some variation here and there).

One of the most stressful part's was waiting for the last Titer (rabies antibodies) test results from the lab in Kansas. Haha why was it stressful..our dog was literally on the way out the door from the pet re-locator to the airport before the final copy of paper work arrived from Kansas lab. Not to mention my wife and I had already landed in NZ a couple days before our dog shipped out of Halifax.

No facilities in Canada can do this titer test (according to everyone we dealt with).

I think for the most part what made it stressful for us...no one in New Brunswick had ever done this before..not our vet or any "official" Canadian Gov Vet..shipping a dog to NZ. Our Pet Re Locator (none in NB) was in Halifax 4 hrs away. Fortunately my wife is a doctor so some of the lingo and test to be done she understood it all.

Everything will work out fine for your cats..but this will be an experience you never forget

[TwoStrayCats]

that sounds like it was quite the stressful experience but well worth it in the end!
having this forum and advice from others who have done it before is so re-assuring

thanks so much for all your help!
Lily