Moving with pets domestically within New Zealand is a different problem from bringing a pet in from overseas — the paperwork here is minimal, but the logistics and the settling-in period still need real planning.
Before you move
Book any ferry or flight pet spot as early as you know your dates — both ferries and Air New Zealand have limited animal capacity per sailing/flight, and pets can't just be added on the day. If your pet isn't already used to their travel crate or carrier, start introducing it well before moving day, not the morning of — a stressful first experience with the crate makes the whole trip harder. Book a vet check if any vaccinations or medication are due soon, and stock up on enough food and any regular medication to last through the move and settling-in period, in case your usual brand isn't available near your new home straight away.
Car travel
For most local and regional moves, car travel is simplest — a secure crate or harness, water on hand, and regular breaks on longer trips. Never leave a pet alone in a parked car, even briefly and even with windows cracked — temperatures inside a car climb fast, in any weather.
Crossing Cook Strait
Both ferry operators carry pets, but you must declare them when booking — capacity is limited and they can decline boarding if you haven't. On Interislander, your pet can stay in your vehicle at no extra charge, or in an onboard kennel; foot passengers travelling with an animal must book a kennel. Dogs need enough space in their crate to stand, turn around, and lie down naturally, with access to water — feed them beforehand and limit fluids before boarding. On Bluebridge, pets can stay in your vehicle, in a vehicle-deck kennel (a small per-crossing fee applies), or — dogs only, and only on their Connemara ship — in a dog-friendly cabin with its own outside area. Cats travel in your vehicle or a kennel on both ferries, not in passenger cabins.
Domestic flights
Air New Zealand carries cats, dogs, and small caged birds as checked baggage on domestic routes — not cargo, and with no vet or vaccination paperwork required for travel within NZ, unlike international pet import. You need to notify the airline after booking and before travel, and your pet needs an IATA-standard carrier they can stand, turn around, and lie down in. There's a flat fee per pet, and combined pet-plus-carrier weight and size limits apply — oversized pets are usually still possible on certain routes, but only through a pet transport company working with Air NZ's cargo team, not a normal booking. Certified assistance dogs are the only animals allowed in the cabin itself.
Moving-day containment
On the day itself, keep pets contained somewhere secure and away from doors left open for furniture removal — a bathroom or a crate in a closed-off room works well. Moving day is when pets most often go missing, simply because there are more open doors and more strangers in and out of the house than usual.
What to keep with you, not in the moving truck
Food, any medication, a water bowl, familiar bedding or a toy, your pet's carrier, and their vet records should all travel with you or your pet directly — not packed away in the truck, where they won't be accessible if the move runs long or plans change.
Paperwork and registration
- Update your pet's microchip details with the NZ Companion Animal Register as soon as you have a new address — a chip with outdated details doesn't help if your pet goes missing during the move itself.
- Register your dog with your new council once you've moved — registration is tied to the council where a dog is ordinarily kept, so this applies even if it's already registered elsewhere.
- Ask your current vet to transfer or provide records to a practice near your new home, especially if any treatment or vaccination is due soon.
Settling in
Keep your pet in one room at first, especially cats, rather than giving them the whole house immediately — a smaller, familiar-smelling space reduces stress in the first few days. Bring familiar bedding, toys, and feeding routines across unchanged; consistency matters more than the new space being perfect. Check the new property's fencing and boundaries properly before letting a dog off-lead, even in a yard that looks securely fenced — worth confirming on day one, not assuming.
Common mistakes
- Booking a ferry or flight without declaring a pet, then finding there's no space left.
- Introducing a pet to the crate or carrier for the first time on moving day itself.
- Assuming a "securely fenced" new yard actually is, without checking gate latches and gaps yourself.
This guide covers domestic moves within New Zealand only — bringing a pet in from overseas involves MPI biosecurity clearance, a separate and much more involved process. Ferry and airline pet policies change from time to time — confirm current rules directly with Interislander, Bluebridge, or Air New Zealand before booking.
Useful next steps
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