Moving with Pet

[skl]

My husband may be offered a transfer to New Zealand. We're so excited! Of course, not too excited as the job offer is not in hand. In the meantime, I've been doing some research and answering some preliminary questions I had via this site forum. Thanks to those of you who regularly share knowledge/experience!

The first matter I am focusing on is the advance work required to bring our baby, who happens to be a small dog, with us. From previous postings to this website I learned that the six-month waiting period for entry into NZ after the titre test can sometimes be reduced to four-month. (Who really has six months notice when offered a job???) I e-mailed the imports people (imports@maf.govt.nz) regarding how to request this waiver. I was informed by James Kemp at Animal Imports that they are no longer offering this waiver! You can imagine my disappointment and devastation at the thought of needing to stay behind with the dog or turning her 30-day quarantine into a 2-3 month stay. Anyway, I thought it was important to offer this information up to others reading the postings. And also to see if anyone else had this experience in the hope that if I ask a different person at the agency I'll get a different answer. Probably overly optimistic, but a girl can dream.....

Also, I have a question regarding the shipment of the dog. We are coming from the Netherlands. How do I determine who is authorized to ship pets as cargo, what the process is, should we hire someone vs. doing it ourselves, etc.?

Any recommendations on the quarantines, Qualified Pet Services or Pethaven, in the Auckland area? (Our dog really enjoys being around people, so I'd prefer a place that offers her pleny of cuddles and attention.)

As this is my first posting, any other "wish I would have thought about this/done that" replies about your own move planning would be gladly accepted.

Sandy

[willsken]

Hi Sandy - Firstly welcome to the forum.

I am using a company to ship my dog. Some how I feel, if I get it wrong in any way, Pepper will suffer. I don't mind taking my chances on other things but the little girl only gets the best!

[Toronto_Kiwi]

We're moving to New Zealand from Toronto in a few months and have encountered the same problem with the six month delay from rabies titre: our cats will have to stay behind in Canada until February. Petflight - a local pet shipper - gave us the same information that the 4 month waiting period is no longer an option. Mrs. Musso at Petflight also said that she usually sends pets to Pethaven rather than Qualified Pet Services but that both are fine. I'll be checking them both out when we arrive in New Zealand in September.
A distant cousin of mine used to work with MAF in New Zealand and I'll ask him some questions about the best way to bring animals into the country when I see him.

[Al_S]

The first matter I am focusing on is the advance work required to bring our baby, who happens to be a small dog, with us.

I feel your pain. It is because of our dog and a cat we might not be able to take really great opportunities in NZ. We can not see us putting them in quarantine for extended period of time. Not sure why but it sounds stupid that the pets from UK are not required to stay in quarantine but those from Canada are!

[kiwidebs]

Not sure why but it sounds stupid that the pets from UK are not required to stay in quarantine but those from Canada are!

I think its to do with rabies. I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time ) but isn't rabies still around in Nth America, but not in the UK.

[skl]

I'm disappointed to hear that the reduced waiting period isn't an option anymore, but glad that the message is consistent. Any additional info on the two quarantines you gain from your trip to NZ would be much appreciated.

Sandy

[Angelonthemove]

We too had the same problem and were hoping for the 4 month instead.

We live in a rabies free country but still have 1 months quarantine. We had the rabies done, and were just ready to have tire test, bought travel crates when our friends said they wanted to have our 2 dogs and 2 of our cats(2 have been housed already). So now we have decided 6 months without us and an air travel expereince on 4 planes! and then 1 month quarantine, change in climate, it was kinder to let them go. But we have both cried constantly since making the decision. So the ony advise I can give you is, if you can afford the money to take your little one with you, then go for it which ever way you can, they will still love you in 6 months, so a foster home maybe the solution whilst they are waiting for their trip.

Good luck MAF will answer any queries they are really good at that and normally same or next day.

Angela

[Nienke]

Fortunately for me my parents took my cat in for one month prior to his leaving for New Zealand, as we were leaving sooner. I had shipment arranged with Exel, no complaints about them. Had my cat in Qualified Pet Services which was also great.
I was glad that my cat only had to stay for 1 month, as all the animals from South Africa had to stay for 4 months!

[colindp]

We brought our 6yr old Border Collie (Sophie) with us although to be fair she travelled a couple of days after us. I had managed to find what turned out to be a great boarding kennels here in Dunedin, they went to the airport to collect her and while we were in a hotel looking for a house to rent they took good care of her, even arranging to meet us at a local park a copule of times so we could get together with her for an hour or two.
Unfortunately it hasn't worked out too well for us here and we are moving on the the USA, the same kennel is arranging Sophie travel to the US.....

[mrsking]

Wow.. i wonder if I'm gonna bring my 6 cats and a Guinea Pig. Will it cause problem? and if they are ok, who's gonna feed 'em along the journey to NZ? Phewwww.....