Relocating Your Pet from New Zealand to Hong Kong

While the process can be complex, we’re here to help guide you through it step by step. When looking to plan you international move it is essential that you do some research into the rules and regulations of the entry requirements to Hong Kong – especially when your furry friend is coming with you!

If you’re relocating from New Zealand to Hong Kong with a dog or cat, our experienced Jetpets Team will help guide you through specific import regulations to ensure a smooth and stress-free journey for your pet.

Below are some important steps and important information you will need to know for your pet’s travel to Hong Kong.

Step 1 : Apply for an Import Permit

Before anything else, you must apply for an Import Permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) in Hong Kong. Processing Time can be typically 6–8 working days from the time of application lodgement. This permit is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

Step 2 : Minimum Age Requirement

To be eligible for importing your pet to HK from NZ, pets must be at least 3  months old at the time of travel. This applies to both dogs and cats.

Step 3 : Microchip Requirement

All pets must be microchipped for identification purposes prior to any vaccinations given.

Step 4 : Rabies Vaccination

A Rabies vaccination for cats and dogs’ is recommended and should be administered at least 30 days but no more than 1 year before travel. If you do not vaccinate your dog before arrival and they are over the age of 5 months they will be vaccinated against rabies in Hong Kong on arrival to meet the local dog licensing requirements.

Step 5 : Core Vaccinations required

A certificate must confirm your pet has been fully vaccinated against a variety of diseases and completed between 14 days and 1 year before travel.

Step 6 : Animal Health Certificate

This certificate must be issued within 1 day of departure, confirming that your pet does not show any signs of infectious or contagious disease and fit for travel. This will be issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries Veterinarian.

Step 7 : Check Breed Restrictions

Some dog breeds are prohibited from entering Hong Kong. Our team will ensure that we can advise you on the restrictions that are in place.

Jetpets are here to help you for your move to Hong Kong!

Moving your pet from New Zealand to Hong Kong involves detailed preparation and strict adherence to Hong Kong’s biosecurity regulations. It is imperative that you start the process early—especially the permit and vaccination schedule—to avoid delays.

Our New Zealand team is here to assist you every step of the way to make sure your pet’s journey will be safe, smooth, and stress-free for both of you.

Why Choose Jetpets NZ?

Jetpets New Zealand have over 30 years of experience in looking after international pet travel and a dedicated team of trained pet handlers, veterinarians and are certified by industry leading affiliations such as International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).

Purpose Built Transit Lounge

The Jetpets New Zealand Transit Lounge provides a calm, secure environment for pets during their international travel journey, offering reassurance to pet owners that their companions are receiving the highest level of care.

Pets are carefully monitored by Jetpets’ experienced animal handlers and supported by dedicated veterinary teams who understand the unique needs of animals in transit. With a strong focus on welfare, comfort and wellbeing, every pet is given time to rest, hydrate and be assessed where needed before continuing their journey.

This compassionate, welfare-led approach ensures pets are supported every step of the way, giving families peace of mind that their beloved companions are travelling safely and with expert care to ensure Happy Pets, Happy Customers and Happy People.

Contact the team at Jetpets NZ for a free quote and expert guidance on moving your pets to Hong Kong.

 

Transporting Your Pet from New Zealand to Singapore

Planning an international move with your dog or cat? If you are planning to move from New Zealand to Singapore, there is a bit more involved than just booking a plane ticket for your furry friend. With the right preparation, planning and expert advice, the process can be smooth and stress-free!

Our experienced Jetpets team have prepared some background information to assist you with everything you need to know about moving your pets safely into Singapore, covering important information from vaccinations, paperwork and microchipping as well as details about using airline approved travel crates for your pets comfort during their journey.

Please contact our team before booking any appointments with your local vet, including for vaccination boosters, so we can ensure you have the correct information.

Key Steps for Transporting Your Pet to Singapore

Step 1: Ensure Your Pet’s Vaccinations Are Up to Date

Vaccinations must be up to date and administered within the required timeframes before travel and our team will be able to assist you.

Step 2: Meet Microchip Requirements

All pets must have an ISO-compliant microchip inserted prior to any vaccinations or treatments. It is essential that your accredited veterinarian records your pet’s microchip number and confirms that it was scanned before any vaccinations are administered.

Step 3: Treat for Internal and External Parasites

Your pet must be treated for both internal and external parasites within 2 to 7 days prior to departure from New Zealand. There are also various vaccination requirements, which our team can guide you through at the time of booking.

It is essential that accredited veterinarians accurately record the treatment dates, product names and all required details to ensure eligibility for entry into Singapore. Our in-house vets can assist with the entire process to help ensure a smooth entry with no issues.

Step 4: Check Breed Restrictions

Restricted Cat Breeds in Singapore.

Singapore has strict regulations around hybrid cat breeds. For example, Bengal and Savannah cats must be at least five generations removed from their wild ancestry. If your cat is one of these breeds, you will need to provide pedigree documentation outlining their full breeding history.

Restricted Dog Breeds in Singapore

Pit Bull–type dogs, including the American Pit Bull Terrier (also known as Pit Bull Terrier), American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, and any crosses of these breeds, as well as the following breeds, are prohibited from entering New Zealand:

  • Akita
  • Boerboe
  • Tosa
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro
  • Neapolitan Mastiff
  • Perro De Presa Canario

Please note that cross breeds of all of the above are also prohibited.

Step 5: Arrange Required Certificates and Permits

To ensure entry requirements are met for your pet travelling into Singapore you will require two official documents before your pets can commence their journey.

  1. Zoosanitary Export Certificate (from MPI in NZ)

Jetpets NZ will book an appointment on your behalf with an Official Veterinarian from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). They will examine your pet for signs of illness, fleas, ticks, and parasites. They will also approve your travel crate and issue the official export certificate.

  1. Import Permit (from NParks in Singapore)

This documentation can be obtained only 30 days before travel via the NParks Permit Portal. As part of the process, you must also notify the Singapore Quarantine Office before arrival. Please be aware that if documentation and paperwork is missing or incorrect, you may face quarantine confinement or be denied entry into Singapore from NZ.

Step 6: Use an IATA-Approved Travel Crate

Whether you’re flying with a tiny kitten or a 90kg dog, Jetpets NZ have a range of IATA-compliant travel crates to suit pets of every shape and size. Designed with comfort and safety in mind, our crates ensure your pet can walk in easily, stand, lie down, and turn around without restriction.

To keep your pet dry and comfortable during their journey, we can also provide a stay-dry fleece mat at the base of the crate. Not sure which crate size is right? Our experienced pet travel consultants are here to help you choose the perfect fit for your furry companion.

Step 7: Arrival, Clearance and Collection in Singapore

Upon arrival, if you have selected the door to door service, Jetpets will ensure all of the documentation (vaccination records, microchip verification, export/import permits) are presented to authorities to gain entry approval into Singapore. Once this is completed our accredited partners team can then deliver your fur baby to your new residence, so you do not have to wait at the airport post flight.

Final Considerations for Moving Your Pet Overseas

Moving pets internationally can be complex without the right guidance. Jetpets New Zealand has over 30 years of experience helping Kiwis relocate their pets safely around the world.

Our priority is to give you complete peace of mind while ensuring your pet’s comfort, safety and wellbeing throughout the journey. Contact one of our friendly Pet Travel Consultants for a free quote and expert advice on transporting your pet from New Zealand to Singapore.

Jetpets Proudly Attends ZAA Conference in Darwin

At Jetpets, we’re incredibly proud to have participated in the recent Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) Conference, held in the vibrant and wildlife-rich city of Darwin. This annual event brings together professionals, advocates, and organisations from across New Zealand and Australia who share a deep commitment to animal welfare, conservation, and education.

This year was particularly special for us, as our National Corporate Services Manager, Sally Graham, had the honour of presenting at the conference. Sally’s involvement was a testament to Jetpets’ long-standing relationship with the zoo and aquarium community, and our shared mission to ensure the safe and ethical transport of animals, both domestic and exotic.

Supporting a Passionate Community

We consider it a great privilege to work alongside the dedicated individuals and organisations in the zoo and aquarium community. Every year, we’re inspired by the passionate work being done—from species conservation projects to breeding programs, educational outreach, and habitat preservation.

At Jetpets, our role in this ecosystem is to ensure that animals are transported with the highest levels of care, safety, and comfort. Whether it’s helping to relocate a rare species as part of a conservation effort, or supporting routine transfers between facilities for health or breeding reasons, we treat every journey with the utmost responsibility.

Our Commitment to Animal Welfare

Animal welfare isn’t just a part of what we do—it’s at the heart of our operations. We partner with leading veterinarians, animal handlers, and welfare experts to develop travel protocols that reduce stress and ensure the well-being of each animal during transit.

Looking Ahead

Being part of the ZAA Conference in Darwin was not only an opportunity to share insights but also to learn from the inspiring work being done throughout our Trans -Tasman region. The connections and collaborations formed at events like this help push the boundaries of what’s possible in animal care and conservation.

We extend our thanks to the ZAA and the wider zoo and aquarium community for their continued trust and partnership. We look forward to working together for many years to come, championing animal welfare and making a positive impact—one journey at a time.

Announcing Jetpets NZ Brand New Transit Lounge

Exciting News: We’re Moving to Better Serve You and Your Pets!

We’re thrilled to announce that we are relocating to a new office space designed with both you and your beloved pets in mind. Our move is part of our commitment to enhancing the quality of service we provide and ensuring a more comfortable experience for all our clients and their furry friends.

Here’s what you can expect from our new location:

  • Pet-Friendly Facilities: Our new office is equipped with dedicated pet areas to make visits smoother and more enjoyable for both you and your pets.
  • Enhanced Accessibility: With improved parking and easier access, your trips to see us will be more convenient, reducing stress for you and your animal companions.
  • Comfortable Waiting Areas: Our redesigned waiting areas include comfortable seating and calming environments to keep your pets relaxed and at ease.

Our New Zealand Manager, Stephanie Tawhai is proud of the new facility.

“Jetpets New Zealand are delighted to expand our Transit Lounge facilities as we continue to grow and cater for our client’s needs. We love the extra space we now have for furbabies to relax, have a walk and some playtime before their travel. We are committed to ensuring animal welfare is at the very heart and centre of what we do and this is the reason we continue to evolve and upgrade our facilities”.

Thank you for your continued support and for trusting us with the care of your pets!

Jetpets NZ Office:

Unit A 80 Richard Pearse Drive, Mangere, Auckland 2022

 

Click ‘View Larger Map’ for directions

 

Helping Furbabies In Need

In working to assist those pets in need our Australian Jetpets team have been working behind the scenes partnering with PetRescue whose mission is to rescue pets, who may otherwise go unnoticed, with their new families. Below is Zues, the American Staffy who was adopted after 13 months in an animal shelter. Zeus was found at the age of 6 months old and lost contact with his original owner and our Jetpets team in Australia have arranged his transport from Sydney to Adelaide for his new life with his new parents to give Zeus a new chance of life.

 

Summer Season Hints and Tips

As we approach the summer season most of us start to think of warmer weather, extended holidays, spending time with family over Christmas and having fun at our favourite park, beach or holiday venue. Pets are no different!

Our fur babies too love time with their parent’s and will be looking forward to spending more time with you whilst you have been back at work more since our lockdown restrictions have eased across the nation.

One of our resident vets Dr Kathy Johnson explains some of the key things to prepare your fur baby for when heading into the summer season.

“It is important that if you are planning to travel over the summer season and looking to place your pets in boarding for any period of time that their vaccinations are up to date. All boarding facilities will require that your dogs have C5 and cats have F3 vaccinations which are valid.

Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle during summer also means your fur babies should have plenty of water for those hotter days, walking them earlier or later in the day and if they like the water, a swim in the pool or at the beach will definitely make them feel more comfortable during those hot summer days.”

Jetpets also takes special care of your fur babies over the summer season. We always look for early morning and late evening domestic flights across NZ to avoid the hottest parts of the day and choose the most direct flight available to minimise time spent travelling. Our purpose built fleet ensures your fur baby is pampered from start to finish.

If you are looking to travel over the summer season, please complete our online request a quote form.

Pet Refuge Helping Our Community

Jetpets has always been a big supporter of Pet Refuge and we knew from the beginning that they would be an important organisation to support. Pet Refuge provides temporary shelter for pets, enabling their owners to escape abuse.

style="height:

Throughout their journey of slowly increasing their pet numbers and reaching full capacity we have seen them thriving and completing amazing work for those in need. The numbers alone show the positive impact that Pet Refuge have been able to make on communities around New Zealand and the opportunities for families to get the much-needed support for their fur babies.

Jetpets have recently been fortunate enough to sit down for a Q&A with one of their Program Managers to further understand the great work they are doing. Here are some insights into our interview:-

style=

Q: Who Is The Founder Of Pet Refuge And Why Did They Start The Organisation?

Julie Chapman Founder and CEO of KidsCan is the founder of Pet Refuge. Julie became aware that some people experiencing family violence delay leaving out of fear for their pets’ lives and she felt driven to help. Sadly, NZ has one of the highest rates of family violence in the world. Many women feel trapped and delay leaving out of fear for their pets. Pet Refuge provides temporary shelter for pets which allows owners to escape abuse.

Q: How Many Animals Has Pet Refuge Been Able To Provide Refuge For So Far?

187 and we have been able to reunite 131 of those so far.

Q: Are You Running At Full Capacity And What Does That Look Like?

Yes, we are, our main shelter is full and has been working at capacity for several months.  We have external boarding partners we work with to provide temporary care.  The number we can take at our main facility is dependent on size and breed and whether pets are from the same family and can be housed together.  We currently have 56 pets boarding across our main shelter and external providers.

Q: What Is The Most Rewarding Part Of Working Within Pet Refuge?

The most rewarding part has to be seeing the pets and families being reunited – the joy from both the pets and owners makes every day worthwhile.  Also, knowing that we are providing great care until they can go home to their owner, who is hopefully, in a place of safety and security. Seeing the owners be able to move on and have their pet with them is huge.

Q: How Has The Public/Community Support Been Since Pet Refuge Opened? Was It As Expected?

The support has been fantastic.  Our NZ community have been incredibly supportive. I wouldn’t say we expected the support, but we definitely hoped that people would recognise this important issue and support us. They have certainly done this and we are forever grateful for the support we get.

Q: What Are Some Up And Coming Fundraising Events Pet Refuge Have Planned?

We are currently running an urgent appeal campaign. As we are running at maximum capacity, with an overwhelming need for a temporary pet shelter, we need to ensure we can keep helping pets and their families. A donation of just $25 can help provide a safe bed, transport, veterinary care, enrichment and a loving environment.

Q: How Can People Donate And Support Pet Refuge?

The best way is through our website www.petrefuge.org.nz  all donations, no matter how much are really appreciated

Q: What Is The Best Way For People Who Need Pet Refuge’s Help To Get In Touch?

If anyone is in immediate danger, please contact the police but to discuss how Pet Refuge can help either email help@petrefuge.org.nz or call their Helpline – 0800 PET REFUGE / 0800 738 733 843

Jetpets Furbaby Fridays

It’s back!

For many years, every Friday in our Jetpets Auckland office has been renowned for “Furbaby Friday”. Each Friday our team bring in their furbabies to work so we can have some fun and excitement each week as we start to think about the weekend ahead.

With the lockdowns and working from home requirements, this has meant our teams and their furbabies have missed the adventures of mingling with other 4 legged furry friends!

This month we were finally allowed to get back to the office as a team and celebrate “Furbaby Friday” and re-acquaint pets with their old buddies and ensure that we had some form of “normality” back to our week at Jetpets.

 

Sali the Sumatran Tiger

In April, Jetpets were lucky enough to assist in the transport of Sali the Sumatran tiger during her journey from Hamilton Zoo to Auckland Zoo.

Fourteen-year-old Sali has relocated to Auckland Zoo as a part of the zoos global breeding and advocacy programme for this critically endangered big cat.

Photo Credit: Auckland Zoo

In the lead up to her travels, Sali was introduced to her crate in advance so it was a familiar environment on the day of travel (much like we suggest for travelling dogs and domestic cats). On morning of travel, she was loaded onto the truck, and travelled with our Animal Handler Tineshea, and a Hamilton Zoo vet and keeper to ensure safety at all times. Sali had two welfare stops during her journey, before arriving at Auckland Zoo.

style=

Photo Credit: Auckland Zoo

Once Sali arrived at Auckland Zoo, she underwent a brief observation period in the tiger habitats inside quarters, ahead of exploring Auckland Zoo’s new Lowlands tiger habitat, within the South East Asia Jungle Track. Sali is the first tiger to experience this new habitat.

“Sali is quite sensitive in nature, but once comfortable she exudes this really warm presence, and is a real ‘chuffer’ – the vocalisation tigers do when they’re in a friendly and relaxed state,” said carnivore keeper Nick Parashshak.

Jetpets feel very privileged to have been able to assist in this special move, and we look forward to following Sali’s journey as she settles into her new environment at Auckland Zoo. For information on how you can visit Sali at Auckland Zoo, please visit their website:-  https://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/

Feline sisters take to the sky with Jetpets!

Auckland Zoo has recently welcomed three four-year-old female lions who travelled from an Australian Zoo with Jetpets.

Twin sisters Aziza and Kibibi and half-sister Ilola made the journey to Auckland Zoo in September, as a part of the international zoo breeding and advocacy programme for this increasingly threatened African big cat.

Photo Credit: Auckland Zoo

While COVID-19 has halted international travel plans for many of us, the team at Jetpets worked closely with both zoos to ensure that this important animal transfer was made possible. Transporting exotic animals is a highly complex process, and many months of planning, obtaining permits and following strict Government processes were followed to ensure a safe and successful transfer of the trio.

Upon arrival into Auckland, the lionesses began their quarantine, a standard MPI and biosecurity requirement for all new exotic animal arrivals into New Zealand. They have now completed their quarantine and are enjoying their landscaped habitat at Auckland Zoos Africa Safari Track.

Auckland Zoo’s carnivore team leader, Lauren Booth, said she and her team are delighted to have welcomed the trio.

“Having three very clever young girls in Aziza, Kibibi and Ilola is both daunting and very exciting for us. We know they’ll have a lot to teach us, and we are really looking forward to getting to know each of them and their unique personalities,” said Lauren.

Photo Credit: Auckland Zoo

While Auckland remains in lockdown, Auckland Zoo is currently closed to visitors. In the meantime, you can keep updated on how Aziza, Kibibi and Ilola are settling in via their social channels.

You can also watch the video below for more information on their exciting journey.