Suppose you’re a pet-loving family and want to take your furry friend on adventures. In that case, it’s important to keep in mind that some destinations, like New Zealand, can be a bit pricey and require you to check your pet’s eligibility beforehand. So, take charge of the situation and make the necessary arrangements for your pet’s travel without delay.
Determine Eligibility
To quickly assess your dog’s eligibility, answer these questions below.
1️⃣- Has your dog resided in an approved country* for at least six months immediately before export? The answer should be yes
2️⃣ – Is your dog over nine months? The answer should be yes.
3️⃣ – Is your dog a hybrid, i.e., offspring of a dog crossed with another species, e.g., Czechoslovakian wolfdog? The answer should be no.
4️⃣ – Does your dog predominantly or wholly belong to any of the flowing breeds or types? The answer should be no.
👉Brazilian Fila, 👉Dogo Argentino,👉 Japanese Tosa,👉 Perro de Pressa Canario, 👉American Pit Bull Terrier
4️⃣ – Has your dog ever been diagnosed with Brucella Canis or Babesia Gibsoni? The answer should be no
6️⃣ – At the time of shipment, will your dog be more than 42 days pregnant? The answer should be no.
If you answered as I did the above questions, then your dog is good to go to New Zealand.
List Have-To-Do
This is just the beginning of a long list of things you have to do. Be aware that all documents have to comply with USDA regulations. Ask if your veterinarian is USDA-certified; otherwise, you have to find one who can do your paperwork.
On the paperwork, you will be asked if your pet has been neutered or not. If yes, then it will ask when and where the surgery was performed. So have this information ready.
Rabies vaccine and microchip
The first thing is to be sure that your dog or cat has a current rabies vaccine and a readable microchip. The microchip must be ISO compliant: 15 digits and cannot begin with 999. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine is validated.
They will ask you when and where the microchip was implanted. So have this information ready.
If you must revaccinate your pet, you’ll have to wait 21 to 30 days to allow the pet to build up the antibodies to pass the Titre Test. You also have to wait six months before your pet can fly.
A booster will be required if the rabies vaccine is older than one year at the time of travel.
USDA accredited veterinarian
Not all veterinarians are USDA accredited, so ask your veterinarian if they are certified. If not, look at this website https://vsapps.aphis.usda.gov/vsps/public/VetSearch.do
When you open this link, you can choose your state, county, and the accreditation category you need.
In my case, I’m in Texas, my county is Williamson, and I choose category II, which is for all animals. I did not find any difference between categories I and II. Then, you can select the veterinarian who is closer to you.
Now, you can schedule the vet appointment to do the Titre Test. The Titre Test is a blood test (RFITT blood draw is the term used for the procedure of the Titre Test) to show if your pet has antibodies to a particular illness. It will show the vaccine’s effectiveness; in this case, it will be rabies. This test is valid for two years.
New Zealand is a rabies-free country, and they want to keep it that way.
This RFITT blood draw is to be done three months before the travel date, and it can only be tested at the Kansas University Veterinary Campus.
You’ll find that New Zealand authorities will only accept tests (medical or veterinarian) from specific places in the USA. They do not take them from any doctor’s office, in case of your visa, or any veterinarian laboratory.
The test result is called FAVN, and your veterinarian will contact you when the vet receives them. Now you ask, what is the difference between FAVN, RFITT, and Titre? Well, they are essentially the same. I think they are more technical words in the laboratory world.
This test takes 4 to 6 weeks to come back.
I paid $380 for each.
Official Veterinarian Declaration (OVD)
This document will be done by a veterinarian who certified the date the microchip was implanted. Fortunately, I have had the records of my dogs since the beginning. When you travel so much, you kind of get in the habit of collecting all records before moving to another country or state. A USDA-certified vet will complete this OVD, and it takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Reserve quarantine
Auckland has three quarantine facilities: Auckland Quarantine Limited, Pethaven Quarantine Services, and Qualified Pet Services. In Christchurch, there is Canterbury Quarantine Services Ltd. You used this last one from Christchurch. It’s a family-owned facility, and I can only say good things about them: Smokey and Mary Jane were very well taken care of during these ten days. My husband had the opportunity to see them during their quarantine period.
It cost around $1500 for each.
You can find the address and phone contact her: Quarantine facilities for cats and dogs | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz)
Import Permit
New Zealand has an import permit closure in December (probably for the Christmas holidays), so if your Permit is not applied before the closure date, the travel date will be delayed.
If your import documents do not meet the MPI (Ministry of Primary Industry) requirements, your pet will be held for further testing, treatment, or quarantine, they can be re-shipped to the exporting country, or they can be euthanized, and they will charge the costs.
The Permit will have the name and address of the importer and exporter, species, breed name, sex of the animal, desexed (neutered) ages, microchip numbers, and quarantine facility they are going to. Attached, you’ll have the category 3 (which means it comes from the United States) model veterinary certificates A and B. Also attached are the FAVN report and the Canine Brucella Test, heartworm antigens test, and Babesia gibsoni test results. Attached is the rabies certificate as well.
It cost me $160 each – $320
Crates
The crates must be big enough that your pet can move inside. Here is the calculation to find the proper side crate:
A = Calculate the length of the animal from the tip of the nose to the base/root of the tail
B = Calculate height from ground to elbow joint. Then, add A with 1/2B, and you get the minimum length of the container.
C = Calculate width across shoulders or wider point (whichever is greater). Then multiply C by 2. It will give you the width of the container
D = Calculate the height of the animal in a natural standing position from the top of the head or the tip of the ears (if the dog has ears up) to the floor.
The prices for crates depend on the material and dimensions. Be sure the crate you have is accepted for New Zealand. It can cost $60 to $500.
The crate will have a seal for import. It cost me $140 each – $240
37 days Vet Schedule
>>>>>>This schedule is timing sensitive.<<<<<
A USDA-certified veterinarian must complete three appointments. If the pet travels domestically, it must have one more appointment, which can be made with any veterinarian.
First appointment
- Bordetella brochieseptia (kennel cough-dog)
- Administer 1st worming treatment
- Administer the first flea and tick treatment
- Start Doxycycline treatment (14 consecutive days within 30 days of departure.)
I paid $300 for each – $600
Second appointment
- Heartworm antigen test by ELISA
- Draw Babesia Gibsoni (IFAT or ELISA test) must be negative
- Draw Brucellois Canis blood test (RSAT or TAT or CPAg ACIG test) must be negative
I paid $700 for each – $1,400
*************All tests must be sent to Kansas State, Michigan, or Protatek.***************
The final vet visits
- The pet has to be free of ticks or any infectious diseases
- Completion of the USDA version of the NZ veterinarian Health Certificate A and B
- Administrate heartworm treatment (Ivermectin/Milbemycin/Selamectin/or Moxidectin).
- Administrate second flea/tick treatment and heartworm tablet.
It cost around $162
USDA endorsement
Government Official vet USDA will endorse the Veterinarian Health Certificate.
It cost me $275 for each – $550
For the domestic flight
A United States Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for small animals will be completed with an acclimation certificate.
It cost $90
Manifest cargo airfreight
The manifest is based on dimensional weight. The bigger and heavier your pet, the more expensive it gets.
It cost around $1300 for Mary Jane and $3000 for Smokey.
As you can see, there is a lot to do, so coordinate a schedule where you can have your pet go.
I had so much stuff going on at the same time: House, house goods, moving, visa, and other things in between that I preferred to hire a pet transport company, Pet Express. They did all the work. I just took my dogs to the vet; The Pet company made sure all complied with New Zealand requirements.
I knew that my dogs would have no issues with their paperwork. From the time I left them in Dallas until they got to the quarantine center, I received a daily report with pictures of them. It was reassuring to see they were safe and well taken care of. Below are just a few pictures of their adventure.
You can find all this information on the government New Zealand website.
Animals have come to mean so much in our lives. We live in a fragmented and disconnected culture. Politics are ugly, religion is struggling, technology is stressful, and the economy is unfortunate.
Jon Katz