EU pets: New Zealand has no pet passport scheme and the EU pet passport is not recognised. A dog or cat travelling from Europe needs a permit to import obtained before departure, an ISO microchip, rabies vaccination and a rabies antibody titre test, plus the internal and external parasite treatments set out for your country's category, and must then complete a minimum of ten days in an MPI-approved quarantine facility on arrival. A new import health standard was issued on 12 May 2026 and applies from 1 July 2026, with a transition period during which the 2021 standard is still accepted.
Non-EU pets: The same framework applies wherever you come from, with the paperwork and waiting times set by the category your country falls into. Australia is the single exception: a cat or dog arriving from Australia is exempt from quarantine. Every other origin, including the rabies-free group, requires the minimum ten days at an approved facility, and an MPI veterinarian inspects the animal within 72 hours of arrival. From 1 October 2026 the rabies titre test and the clinical examination must be preceded by an official identity check performed at least six months before shipment.
Emergency contacts:- Animal Emergency at VSA Sylvia Park, Mount Wellington, open 24 hours: +64 9 849 2121
- North Shore Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, Glenfield, after hours: +64 9 443 5640
- Animal Emergency Auckland West, Henderson, nights and weekends: +64 9 849 2121
