Since New Zealand is a small island country, relatively isolated, and largely free of typical pests and diseases that affect other nations, its import rules are fairly strict. Pets, even those coming from nearby Australia, must carefully follow the requirements in order to enter.
On that note, an update: The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries has proposed a few changes for pets traveling from Australia to New Zealand. These changes would go into effect beginning Dec. 1, 2014, so keep them in mind if you're planning to use this route.
Here's an overview of the new rules:
Auckland: 7:00 - 19:00
Wellington: 15:30 - 17:00
Christchurch: 13:00 - 17:00
These inspection times apply Monday through Friday with the exception of public holidays and the period between and around Christmas and New Year .
Please contact PetRelocation if you have questions about international pet travel, and keep following the blog for additional pet travel updates regarding New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of the world.