FAQs related to Your Pets
If the country where your cat or dog lives is not listed as an approved country in the Guidance Document 
(275 KB), then your pet is not eligible for direct import.
Should this be the case, you could move your pet to an approved country or territory where it must complete the six month residency and fulfil all of the requirements in Veterinary Certificates A & B for that country.
Costs will vary, but you need to consider the following:
| Pet exporter fee (if applicable) | Contact pet exporter (ask airline or your veterinarian for references, or search the internet) |
| Shipping Costs | Contact pet exporter or airlines |
| Import Permit Application | $166.62NZ |
| Veterinary visits, tests, treatments | Contact pet exporter or veterinarian |
| Official Veterinary Certification | Contact pet exporter of Official Government Veterinarian |
| Quarantine | Contact pet exporter or quarantine facility |
| Biosecurity Clearance | |
| Customs | www.customs.govt.nz  |
Yes.
There is only one rabies blood test required. The blood sample for this must be collected between 3 and 24 months prior to the date of shipment and the rabies titre must be at least 0.5IU/ml.
No, the date of shipment from the country of export must be at least 3 months and no greater than 24 months after the date of sample collection for the rabies titre test.
Our import requirements are based on the disease status of the country of export and all dogs and cats coming from that country must comply.
An import permit is required for dogs and cats imported from all countries except Australia.
All of your dogs and/or cats travelling together and going to the same transitional (quarantine) facility can share one permit.
We recommend submitting your application at least six weeks before your scheduled arrival date.
You need to allow a minimum of 10 working days for the permit to be processed and returned to you electronically once all of the correct documentation has been submitted.
Import permits for dogs and cats are valid for 10 days from the scheduled date of arrival. Pets can be imported anytime between the entry date and expiration date listed on the permit, as long as the animal meets all of the requirements.
If your pet will be arriving earlier than the entry date or later than the expiration date listed on the import permit, you will need to apply for a new import permit.
Post-arrival quarantine is required for cats and dogs from all countries except Australia.
This must be done in an approved facility for a minimum of 10 days. Quarantine facilities are run by MPI-approved operators and are supervised by official government veterinarians. Each facility sets its own fees, visiting hours, etc.
Yes, you will need to arrange this directly with the quarantine facility.
All tests must be conducted at a Government laboratory or a Government-approved laboratory.
MPI does not keep a list of these overseas government laboratory or government-approved laboratories. Your veterinarian or pet exporter or official government veterinarian can help you.
An official veterinarian means a veterinarian authorised by the Government Veterinary Authority in your country to perform designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health.
The pet importer or pet agent must arrange with an Official Government Veterinarian to sign and stamp the import permit application and Veterinary Certificate B.
This information is held by the veterinary authority in the exporting country. Your veterinarian, pet exporter or government website can help you.
The test results must either be originals or copies certified by an Official Government Veterinarian.
Veterinary Certificate A must be certified by an official government veterinarian or a veterinarian authorised to provide export certification on behalf of the government veterinary service of the exporting country. Your veterinarian, pet exporter or government website can help you.
MPI does not require pet importers to use a pet transport company. However, we highly recommend that importers use the services of a registered pet transport company as they are familiar with the protocols and procedures necessary to export pets overseas.
If you do not have a pet exporter we recommend that you contact your airlines directly to inquire about their requirements.
No, dogs and cats must travel as cargo. Only dogs that meet the definition of an assistance dog may travel in the cabin along with their assisted handler, if acceptable to the airline. (LINK to Appendix 1, Import Health Standard for Cats and Dogs)
Provided advance notification of arrival has been given at least 72 hours ahead of the scheduled time of arrival, and the time of arrival falls within the following times, biosecurity clearance for compliant animals will be given at the border.
Auckland
0530 to 1830 hours (weekdays only)
Christchurch
1200 to 1800 hours (weekdays only)
Wellington
1330 to 1630 hours (weekdays only)
If a cat or dog arrives outside the above hours, or arrives on a public holiday, or is not compliant with the requirements, or advance notification has not been given, they will be sent to an approved quarantine facility and must remain there until biosecurity clearance is given (within 72 hours).