International Pet Transport from New Zealand to Australia
For more than 30 years moving pets across the Tasman from New Zealand to Australia has been one of our most popular international journeys. At Jetpets we can handle the entire trip door to door, from planning your journey and selecting the correct crate size to the final delivery and handover at your new residence in Australia.
We have a dedicated team of international professionals who are experts in exporting dogs and cats from New Zealand. You can rest easy knowing that Jetpets has your international pet travel requirements covered.
Once your pet clears the border and arrives in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth our Australian team can manage and facilitate the clearance requirements for you to save you time and stress. Our Pet handlers can be waiting to care for them and transport your furbaby to their new home. Same company, same standards, both sides of the Tasman.
We’re also proud to be the only CEIV Accredited pet transport company offering an exclusive door-to-door service to Australia.
Can Your Pet Travel to Australia?
New Zealand and Australia each treat each other as a low-risk country for pet travel. Australia places New Zealand in Group 1, the lowest-risk category it has and that strips much of the difficulty out of this route, which is good news for Kiwis heading to Australia
That means furbabies making the trip from New Zealand to Australia skip the mandatory quarantine period required for pets coming from other overseas locations, and generally don’t need an import permit to enter.
Quarantine Periods
- From New Zealand – No quarantine is required. Your pet can be collected from the airport the same day they land provided all import regulations have been satisfied by authorities.
- From most other countries – a minimum of 10 days at the Australian Government’s quarantine facility at Mickleham is required and this can also extend to 30 days depending on the individual circumstances.
Import permit to Australia
- Pets travelling from New Zealand – This is not required
- From most other countries – an application through Australia’s BICON system, which can take several months to complete the process.
Why is the NZ to Australia route easier?
Both countries are free of rabies, and each accepts the other’s disease status without the testing and waiting that applies almost everywhere else. It’s a genuine biosecurity relationship and it’s the reason a move to Australia takes weeks to arrange rather than the better part of a year.
Moving the other way?
It works much the same in reverse. Pets flying from Australia into New Zealand skip quarantine and the permit process too, provided they meet the standard conditions.
Breed restrictions
A select number of breeds and types can’t be imported into Australia, and does not allow the import of domestic/non-domestic animal hybrids.
Hybrid cats include, but are not limited to:
- Savannah cat – domestic cat (Felis catus) + Serval cat (Felis serval)
- Safari cat – domestic cat + Geoffroy cat (Oncifelis geoffroyi)
- Chausie – domestic cat + Jungle cat (Felis chaus)
- Bengal cat – domestic cat + Asian Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).
The following dog hybrids and pure breeds cannot be imported to Australia:
- Czechoslovakian wolfdog / Czechoslovakian Vlcak
- Saarloos wolfdog / Saarloos wolfhound
- Lupo Italiano / Italian wolfdog
- Kunming wolfdog / Kunming dog
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasiliero
- Japanese Tosa
- American Pit Bull Terrier / Pit Bull Terrier
- Perro de Presa Canario / Presa Canario
Age and health eligibility
Your pet needs to be 12 weeks or older when the Vet examines them, free of ticks and fleas and showing no sign of infectious illness at that examination.
If your pet has any known medical conditions or is currently on medication, we can have our Vets take a review of your pets history to put a plan in place that best fits your pet’s needs. Pregnant pets past 40 days, and mothers still nursing will need to wait for a later flight.
When to Start Preparing Your Pet’s Move
We generally recommend allowing up to 1 to 2 months to start planning your pets international move. This is to ensure your pet is crate ready and we can arrange necessary health checks, tests and documentation for authorities. Dogs that have lived outside Australia or New Zealand may require longer preparation.
Just like a dedicated travel agent, our Pet Travel Consultants organise your pet’s flight to Australia and plan around your own travel plans, right down to a special delivery service to your new home.
Give us a call and we’ll work backwards from your own moving date.
Suggested planning timeline
As a general guide, we recommend starting around three months out, it gives your furbaby plenty of time to settle into their travel crate, and gives us time to line everything up properly on our end.
- 6-8 weeks before travel: get in touch with our team to confirm your pet’s eligibility and lock in your quotation and discussion with our pet travel team.
- In the following weeks: complete the Vet checks and tests your pet needs (more on this below), and confirm your flight booking
- In the final couple of weeks: your pet’s health certificate is finalised and we take care of crate preparation and last-minute logistics together
What to have ready:
- Microchip details
- Vaccination history
- Any existing health records or conditions
Vet Checks, Vaccinations & Export Paperwork
Because New Zealand is rabies-free, your pet skips the rabies vaccination, the antibody blood test and the months of waiting that pets from most countries can’t avoid. However, there are four things to get through before your pet’s travel date.
Microchip
Your pet needs an ISO-compliant microchip (the standard type used across Australia). It’s how your pet is identified at every step, so our vets will scan and confirm it and make sure the number matches across all the paperwork.
Parasite treatment
This is the requirement Australia cares most about. Your pet is treated for worms, roundworm, tapeworm and for fleas and ticks, using products registered in New Zealand that Australia accepts.
This has to happen inside the five days before the flight, and if the flight moves and that window closes, the treatment and the certificate both have to be done again. We will build the Vet appointments around the flight rather than the other way round to ensure your complete peace of mind and include this in our quotations to you.
Final health check and export certificate
In that same five-day window, a Vet from an MPI-listed practice examines your pet, confirms they’re healthy enough to fly and carrying no ticks or fleas, and completes the export certificate. It’s signed and dated on the day, certificates can’t be written in advance or backdated, and it travels with your pet as the document Australia clears them for their arrival.
We include this appointment within our quotes as we have an MPI accredited vet on-site at our Auckland Transit Lounge Monday – Thursday to save any additional trips to an external vet clinic.
Partnering Vets
Our Partnering Vets are experts in international pet transport and can provide the treatments required to travel into Australia. The Veterinary team will ensure that all documents required for your overseas travel are carried out accurately and meet all government requirements.
Our Partnering Vets make regular visits to our Transit Lounge to make life easy for you and your furbaby’s pre-travel appointments.
Once your pet’s cleared for flying, they’re safely transported to the airport and checked in for their flight. Depending on your specific itinerary, our Pet Handlers will send you a travel update before your pet boards when travelling through our Transit Lounge.
Travel Day: What to Expect
Our Pet Handlers take it from here
If moving from Auckland, we can collect your pet from your own home and transport them to our transit lounge near Auckland Airport for either the day or overnight depending on your pet’s flight details. If you are coming from outside of Auckland, we can arrange either a collection by road or a domestic flight from your closest airport.
Once your pet arrives at our Auckland transit lounge they can be taken care of by our dedicated Pet Handler team where our dogs will get to relax in our kennel suites with regular walks and play time throughout their stay.
Our cats will have their own dedicated cattery suite that has climbing trees, soft lighting, Feliway diffuser (pheromone support) and classical music to listen to as they nap the day away.
What happens at the airport?
- The captain knows your loved one is on board
- The cabin is climate controlled and pressurised to mirror the human passenger experience
- The cabin lighting is kept low so your pet can still see what’s going on around them
- What we feel and hear in the cabin is the same as what animals experience, except they’ve got a lot more legroom than us in their travel crate!
Arrival in Australia
The moment the plane touches down, your pet is always the first off and straight into a secure, comfortable waiting area. Every airport does things a little differently, so your Pet Travel Consultant will walk you through exactly what to expect in your pet’s own personalised travel itinerary.
If something doesn’t go quite to plan
Every pet is checked by a biosecurity officer at the airport, along with their paperwork, before they’re released to us. If something isn’t right (ticks or fleas found at inspection), or a problem with the certificate, your pet isn’t sent home.
They’re held while it’s sorted out and released once the treatment plan or veterinary care is required where these costs will need to be paid by the owner.
The above scenario is uncommon when the paperwork’s in order, which is exactly why our Partnering Vets are thorough on the way out, but we’d rather you know what the process looks like than have it come as a surprise.
After Arrival: Settling Your Pet In
Once your pet has cleared arrival processes our Australian team are able to then re-unite your furbaby with you, transporting them safely from the airport and all the way to your new residence.
Moving to a new country is a big adjustment, even for the furriest members of the family. For some gentle guidance on helping your pet feel at home, take a look at our guide on Settling Into A New Home.
“Thank you so much for the smooth process transporting Toby over to the Gold Coast. I really appreciated how straightforward it was and was so grateful to receive the messages while he was travelling. He arrived with a huge smile on his face, a wagging tail and has embraced his new lifestyle. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jetpets.” — Toby the Dog, Wellington to Coolangatta
And if any questions pop up once your pet’s settled in, we’re only ever a phone call away on 0800 311 742.
Trusted By The International Industry’s Best
Jetpets Australia & New Zealand has become the first pet transport company in the Asia Pacific Region to be awarded The Centre of Excellence for Live Animals Logistics (CEIV) Certification.
This globally recognised certification reflects the unwavering commitment to exceptional animal welfare, industry-leading practices and the highest standards in pet transportation across Australia, New Zealand and the world. The Jetpets team is proud to have its expertise, care and dedication recognised globally by IATA (The International Air Transport Association).
As highlighted by Brendan Sullivan, “Congratulations to Jetpets on achieving CEIV Live Animals certification in New Zealand. Jetpets has led the way by implementing standards and best practices to protect the welfare of animals travelling by air. Customers can be confident that their pets’ journeys are safe and comfortable.”
For Jetpets customers, this achievement represents far more than an industry first. It demonstrates that Jetpets has been independently assessed and verified against leading global standards for pet welfare, animal handling and professional pet transportation services.
Hear More From Pet Owners
Frequently Asked Questions About International Pet Transport to Australia
Q: Can I take my dog to Australia from New Zealand?
If your dog isn’t one of the restricted breeds or a hybrid, is at least 12 weeks old, and gets through the microchip, parasite treatment and vet certification steps, they can fly. No quarantine, no permit. It’s among the easiest international moves a pet can make.
Q: How much does it cost to bring a dog or cat from New Zealand to Australia?
There’s no flat rate, because no two moves are the same. Costs depend on how big your pet is and what crate they require, which cities they’re flying between, how much Vet work is involved, and whether you want us handling the journey door to door or only part of it. Tell us about your pet and we’ll put a real figure in front of you.
Q: Does my pet have to go into quarantine in Australia?
No. Pets arriving from New Zealand are released on arrival. Quarantine applies to pets coming from countries Australia assesses as higher-risk, and this route isn’t one of them.
Q: Can my pets share the same crate?
In most cases each pet travels in their own crate, as it’s the safest way to fly. There are limited exceptions, such as two young pets of similar size from the same litter. But this is subject to airline and IATA rules. Let our team know your pets’ sizes and ages and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
Q: Do you transport puppies and kittens?
Yes, we help puppies and kittens make the move too, though there’s a minimum age they may need to reach before they can travel. They’ll need the same microchip, parasite treatment and health checks as adult pets. Speak to our team for more information as regulations can often change.
Q: My pet came to New Zealand from another country. Can they still go?
In most cases yes, once they’ve been in New Zealand for 180 days. Dogs also need a Leishmania infantum blood test before they travel. Tell us where your pet came from and when they arrived, and we’ll confirm it.
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