AU to NZ is the easiest international pet route in the southern hemisphere because both countries are rabies-free, so MPI does not require a FAVN titer. The trans-Tasman corridor has its own simplified template — no quarantine if your paperwork is clean, no 180-day wait, no titer at all. The single decision that matters is whether your pet has been outside AU in the last six months, because that would push you into a different MPI category.
Flying with a pet from Australia to Australia → New Zealand bundles two sets of rules: the destination's import requirements, and each airline's pet-travel policy on the route. This page combines them so you can plan one consistent timeline.
Flying with your pet from Australia to Australia → New Zealand
Australia → New Zealand import requirements
Frequently asked
- What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
- If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.
- What happens if I forget a document?
- At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.
For AU to NZ: microchip ISO, current rabies vaccine, MPI import permit (apply 4-6 weeks ahead), AU vet-issued health certificate within 10 days of departure, and the internal/external parasite treatments documented on the cert. Luna would call this the gentlest international route on the continent. Build your plan against your departure date in Pawgo — it shows the exact vet appointment window and the MPI permit deadline.
Glossary
- ISO chip
- ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
- FAVN
- Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
- Brachycephalic
- Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
- AVIH
- Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.