Q&A: Pet Travel to New Zealand From Non-Approved Countries

Hi PetRelocation,

I'm planning to move to New Zealand in 2016 with my cat but I don't know New Zealand's rules about importing pets. Can you inform me of what I need to do?

Many Thanks,

Asli

Hi Asli,

Thank you for your inquiry. New Zealand is a rabies-free country, which means its rules for importing pets can be somewhat challenging to follow. That doesn't mean it can't be done, but you'll need to spend significant time and effort (and money, to be honest), to get your pets there.

Please refer to the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries for a complete overview of the rules and requirements for bringing pets to New Zealand. According the the guidance documents found here, Turkey is not considered an approved country for import, thus your cat will have to transition through an approved country and complete a six month residency there before being allowed to enter New Zealand.

In cases like this, we often suggest that pets transit through the United States because the U.S. is one of the easier countries to bring a pet. Please take a look at the United States pet import requirements for more information.

Sorry to be the bearer of this news, Asli! Again, the New Zealand pet import process is a particularly complicated one (more complicated than pet owners would like, we suspect). If you think you'd like some assistance with your relocation or have any questions we can help with, please contact us for a pet travel consultation.

Either way, thanks again for reaching out and good luck with your future pet travels!

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Asli
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat
Pet Breed: Siamesse
From: Turkey
To: New Zealand