New Zealand Pet Import Requirements

Are Rabies shots required? What Type is allowed? What are the timeline requirements? What are the restrictions?
Category 1, 2 and 3 countries
No quarantine restrictions prior to import
Animals must reside for at least six months in a country approved to export cats and dogs to New Zealand (category 1, 2 or 3). Animal must show no clinical signs of rabies at time of shipment.
Category 2: Rabies free
Animal must have been resident in a rabies free country (as defined in the OIE Code) since birth or for 6 months prior to shipment.
Category 3 – Rabies controlled. Rabies vaccination required. Acceptable rabies vaccination: Government approved inactivated virus vaccine or recombinant vaccine expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein. Microchip number must be implanted prior to rabies vaccination(s) and recorded on the rabies vaccination certificate/record.
Timeline: a) Primary vaccination must be given not less than six months and not more than one year prior to the date of shipment, when the animal was at 12 weeks of age.
b) Booster vaccination must be given not more than 12 months prior to the date of shipment. Note: rabies vaccination must be kept up-to-date from the date of sample collection for the rabies titre test to the date of shipment.
 

Category 3 countries – rabies absent or well-controlled

FAVN or RFFIT rabies neutralising antibody titration test not less than three months and not more than 24 months prior to the date of shipment, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml

Category 2 and 3 countries – rabies free
 Heartworm:  Heartworm antigen ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test with a negative result in the 30 days prior to the date of shipment.
Babesia gibsoni:  IFA (indirect fluorescent antibody) test or ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test for Babesia gibsoni with a negative result in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment
OR
Two PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests for Babesia species or Babesia gibsoni with negative results on samples collected 30 to 37 days apart, with the second sample collected in the 16 days prior to the date of shipment.
 Brucella canis (not required from Australia): RSAT (rapid slide agglutination test) OR TAT (tube agglutination test) OR CPAg-AGID (cytoplasmic agar gel immunodiffusion test) in the 16 days prior to shipment with negative results.

If a suspicious result from RSAT or TAT emerges, a second CPAg-AGID test may be run with a negative result in the 16 days prior to shipment.
 Leptospirosis (not required from Australia): If not following the doxycycline or dihydrostreptomycin treatment option, (MAT) microscopic agglutination test for Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola with a negative result in the 30 days prior to the date of shipment.  If a positive MAT occurs,
a second MAT for L. canicola is required at least 14 days after the first test showing no increase above the tire of the first test.
 Dogs that have been in South Africa Only – Babesia Canis testing
If not following the imidocarb dipropionate treatment option, IFA or ELISA test with a negative result in the 16 days prior to shipment.
 Category 1 countries
 As above - but treatment or test for leptospirosis and test for Brucella canis not required.

Qualified Pet Services 150 Airfield Road Takanini Auckland New Zealand Proprietor: Carol O’Neil Ph +64 9 299 9539 Fax +64 9 299 9539 E-mail: services@qualifiedpet.co.nz Website: www.qualifiedpet.co.nz	Pethaven Quarantine Services 71a Homestead Road RD 1 Pokeno Auckland New Zealand Proprietor: Alan Gilder Ph +64 9 233 6301 Fax +64 9 233 6302 E-mail: info@pethaven.nz Website: www.pethavenkennels.co.nz
Canterbury Quarantine Services Highfield Road Aylesbury Christchurch New Zealand Proprietors: Karen and Mark Bayliss Ph +64 3 318 1279 Fax +64 3 318 1289 Email: info@canterburyquarantine.co.nz Website: www.canterburyquarantine.co.nz	Auckland Quarantine Limited 235 Brookby Road RD 1 Manurewa Auckland New Zealand Proprietor: Graeme Bell Ph: 09 216 6012 Email: info@aucklandquarantine.co.nz Website: www.aucklandquarantine.co.nz

All Quarantine Stations in New Zealand are privately operated, each has its own criteria that must be met prior to arrival in New Zealand.  Shippers must contact the Quarantine Facility they are intending to use to ensure pets meet the requirements.  Operating hours, time for visits, MPI Inspection and Release dates differ between each Quarantine provider.

 

Breed restrictions: As listed in Section 4 of the Dog Control Act, the following breeds & type of dogs are prohibited from import:
Breeds:

• Brazilian Fila

• Dogo Argentino

• Japanese Tosa

• Perro de Presa Canario ii) Type:

Type:

• American Pit Bull Terrier

 

Customs Broker/Destination Agent Requirements: Owners/Importers can import pets without a broker if the movement is non-commercial.  It is recommended Owners/Importers engage a Customs Broker. Agent is Not required if importing from Australia.  Quarantine facility required for all other origin countries and Agent is needed.

-    Import Permit Required
-    Animal must have been resident in a Rabies Free Country as defined in the OIE Code since birth or for 6 months prior to shipment.
-    NZCS 231 Bringing a Pet or Other Animal into New Zealand
-    Copy of your photo ID
-    Proof of purchase or Evidence of ownership (if available)
-    Air Waybill
-    Veterinary Certificates (as required by MPI)
-    Exempting Statutory Declaration (Dogs Only)

Qualifies for Customs Concession (doesn’t have to pay GST):

• New Zealand or Australian passport
• Current NZ residence visa or permit
• Current permanent residence visa (including resident return visa) issued by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia
• Current work visa valid for a year or more
• Current work visa or permit, issued under the Work to Residence (Skilled Migrant Category) policy or the Long-Term Business Visa/Permit category
• Current visitors’ visa or permit valid for three years or more
• Have been living outside for NZ for more than 21 months
• Owned and used all the goods before importing them here with you

GST and Duty is payable if:

• Holds a work visa that is valid for less than a year
• Holds a student or visitor’s visa valid for less than 3 years
• Purchased the pets for commercial use (i.e. breeding or showing)
• Pets are a gift