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Can I bring my pets to New Zealand?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is you may be required to put cats or dogs into quarantine, provide health certificates and so on for a specified length of time. This can vary from 4 weeks to 6 months, and has costs attached. It's best to investigate and plan ahead.

Cats and dogs coming from the UK do not require quarantine, but do require certification and will be inspected for ticks on arrival. You'll need to contact Bio Security New Zealand for information about bringing other animals from other countries.

From most parts of the world some quarantine is required, and again we advise you to contact MAF about your specific needs.

If you're wondering about how your pets would make the journey, it's best to contact your chosen carrier. In general however, pets are not permitted on international or trans-Tasman flights as checked baggage but may be shipped as cargo. Note that animals must be at least 3 months old to travel via Air New Zealand (other airlines may have different regulations).

This answer was last updated on 16 July, 2012.

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