Flying cats and dogs: Pets join the exodus to Oz (some in a private jet)
Saturday, 3 January 2026
With New Zealanders jumping the ditch in droves, many lured by higher pay and lower cost of living in Australia, there’s been a similar increase in four-legged Kiwis crossing the Tasman too.
A record 72,000 Kiwis left the country between September 2024 and September 2025, “primarily to Australia” the latest data from Stats NZ shows - the largest outflow since 2012.
Cat and dog exports from New Zealand to Australia have increased by 60% in the past three years, based on data from the Ministry of Primary Industries requested by Stuff.
MPI is the government agency responsible for ensuring pets leaving New Zealand meet various requirements and documentation, before they can be issued with their own version of a New Zealand passport - an MPI export certificate.
The process for cats and dogs going to Australia from New Zealand has been made easier because New Zealand has an agreement with Australia, MPI says.
Jenny Si and her partner, both in their mid-20s, moved from Auckland to Sydney earlier this year, and wanted to take their 1-year-old cavoodle Teddy.
Some of the pet exporters they approached were already fully booked, Si said. She thinks, as more New Zealanders make the move, demand is ramping up for the pet export industry.
The couple chose Auckland Airport Pet Services and decided to fly Teddy the day after their arrival. The total cost was $2240.
“They were excellent and made sure he was well taken care of. They sent the crate two weeks prior so we could train him to be comfortable inside it. Me and my partner went first so we could get the keys to the new place and unpack. Then Teddy came the following day.”
The couple had already applied for jobs and found an apartment before leaving New Zealand.
“I am in commercial insurance and my partner found a job a month after we moved. He works for the New South Wales government and, funnily enough, unintentionally, we are in the same building in Parramatta (it’s a big building).”
Teddy has already settled in to life as a Sydneysider, says Si.
“He has adapted very well. The heat is pretty crazy with western Sydney reaching the late 30s Celsius. We blast the aircon and keep his coat short.”
When Lacey Moyle and her family made the recent move to Brisbane, they took their cats, Ziggy and Zebb, with them on the same flight.
“We both moved here for work. My partner Shane moved over in June, and found us a home and furnished it. I followed after the kids finished their last year of high school.”
Although “a bit anxious” about taking the cats, Moyle said the transport company they used, Hamilton Pet Transport, talked her through the process to allay any concerns.
“I think it would have been a selfish decision to re-home them. They're a part of our family so the thought of leaving them behind wasn't even entertained.”
The cats stayed in the “comfort cabin” where they enjoyed one-on-one care, a temperature-controlled environment, a calming diffuser, a speaker with soothing music and a wooden cat treehouse. Regular photo updates were provided throughout too.
“We paid $3980 for both cats, which included two flights from New Plymouth to Brisbane. This included their cages, and their vet appointment for export certification, and they were safely transferred directly to Auckland international for boarding.”
Their pets have settled in their new country and are living “their best cat lives”, she says.
“Ziggy and Zebb have adjusted better than I expected, and are in and out of the house, doing what they would normally do back home and are happy.”
Lisa Lee, owner of Venture Pets, which operates out of Wellington airport, says transportation for pets has increased post-Covid, and they’re “busy with people moving their pets to Australia”.
“If a pet owner is moving to Australia they will also look to take their pet as they are very much a family member.”
While her clients move for a variety of purposes, “job opportunities, family and lifestyle” seem to be the main reasons, she said.
While the norm is for pets to be transported in their crates in a special area of the cargo part of the plane, Joanna Maddison and husband Liam launched Skye Pets in 2021 which uses chartered aircraft that allow pets to fly in the cabin with their owners.
They quickly discovered there was demand among the more than 20,000 pets that fly to and from Australia as well as New Zealand, the Post reported last month [November].
Their typical customer is almost exclusively moving to another country - and demand is growing.
A trip across the Tasman costs around $13,500, with a long-haul flight from Australia to the UK costs $40,000.
The animals are crated for takeoff and landing but when the seatbelt signs are off, they're free, with dogs allocated a seat next to their owner. If they need to use the toilet, there is a grassy area at the back of the plane.
“We are certainly seeing more demand for pet owners departing New Zealand on our in-cabin charter flights compared to pet owners heading over from Australia… Whilst this route is still growing, and certainly not our busiest, we certainly believe more Kiwis are opting for in-cabin charter flights over the traditional commercial cargo flights and will continue to do so,” said Liam.
Flying your pet
Plan well ahead. MPI’s website is the first port of call for information, with step-by-step guidelines here for taking cats and dogs to Australia.
MPI recommends using a registered pet exporter, and it’s a requirement of most airlines. Pet exporters will help arrange tests, treatments, flights, crates and other requirements before departure.
A vet who is registered with MPI must examine your cat or dog to check they are fit and healthy for travel, and certify this by signing the export certificate. A list of MPI registered vets is here.
Even if travelling with a pet export company, check the individual requirements for the airline you are flying with. Airlines should carry animals in accordance with current standards published in the IATA Live Animal Regulations, which includes specifications of an approved pet carrier/crate which include adequate ventilation, access to water and room to stretch.
Airlines may ask for other information or have specific requirements. Air New Zealand, for instance, recommends only a light meal and little water two hours before departure and lining the crate with a puppy pad. It says nothing else other than a favourite blanket is permitted.
By the numbers
The number of cats and dogs heading to Oz is roughly equivalent to 1 in 10 Kiwis taking pets with them, and could be more, given that the 72,000 includes couples and families.
2022: 3250
2023: 4259
2024: 5168
2025 (till June): 2607
Source: MPI
FAQ
Dr Jake Kim is an Auckland-based MPI-authorised vet at VetMan - Cat and Dog Exports. He talks Stuff through the steps:
What is the process?
The first step is to get in touch with a registered pet exporter who will arrange everything from the travel crate to the required flights. Once your pet's international flight is booked, get in touch with an approved veterinarian who will carry out the export check and issue the Australian Export Certificate within 5 days of departure.
Helpful tip: Try to book the export appointment for 1-2 days before departure so that the Australian Export Certificate will still be valid if flights need to be bumped or changed (giving you a buffer of a few days). If flight delays result in your pet travelling outside the 5-day window, a new export certificate needs to be issued.
Are vaccinations required for my pet to enter Australia?
No. Fortunately vaccinations are not a requirement for pets entering Australia. But it is recommended your pet is up to date with core vaccinations as part of their general health. Some pet exporters require this if your pets will be boarding overnight in close proximity to other pets (just like a boarding kennel or cattery).
What happens during the export appointment?
The veterinarian will carry out a health check to make sure your pet is fit and healthy, and also administer approved internal (gastrointestinal worms) and external (fleas, ticks) parasite treatments as required by Australia.
Helpful tip: If your pet is due for their routine monthly parasite treatments, please hold off and liaise with the veterinarian so that the treatments are not administered in close proximity. At the end of the appointment, your pet will be issued an Australian Export Certificate for entry into Australia. Usually the whole process takes less than 15 minutes.
There are no approved veterinarians in my town or area. What can I do?
If your international flight departs from Auckland, we provide a mobile service that can meet you at your temporary accommodation in Auckland before your flight and carry out your pet's export appointment and issue the Australian Export Certificate onsite.
Is any testing required before my pet travels to Australia?
For dogs that have come into NZ from a country other than Australia, a negative Leishmania blood test result is required before travel. The lab report must be provided during the export appointment so that it can be attached to the Australian Export Certificate. For all other pets, a Leishmania blood test is not required.
Is there anything else to be aware of?
If your pet requires an import permit issued by DAFF (Australia), or your dog has ever resided in Mainland Africa (including South Africa), or your pet is due to return to NZ within 30 days, or your pet is due to travel to another country within 30 days of arriving in Australia, some additional steps are required which can be discussed with us or your nominated pet exporter.