Arrange transport for your pet on a long-distance move

Driving a pet the length of the country, or across Cook Strait, isn't always realistic — especially for an anxious animal, a tight moving schedule, or a move that's genuinely too far to drive in one go. A specialist pet transport service handles this instead, by road or by air.

How to do it

1. Book well ahead of moving day — specialist pet transport, especially by air, needs more lead time than a standard flight booking, and popular routes book out.
2. Ask about door-to-door vs. drop-off options — door-to-door costs more but means you're not adding an extra trip to an airport or depot on top of everything else moving day involves.
3. Check what's included for anxious or older pets — some services offer sedation coordination with a vet, or extra settling time; ask directly if your pet doesn't travel well.
4. Confirm the actual transport method for your route — some moves go by road, some by air, and inter-island routes may involve a ferry crossing as part of the same booking.

Common mistakes

• Assuming your removalist's truck can take a pet — almost none do, this needs a separate booking
• Leaving it until close to moving day, when specialist transport slots, especially flights, are hardest to get
• Not checking your specific airline or ferry operator's own pet policy on top of the transport company's, since both can apply

Related tasks

If you're driving yourself and just need your pet looked after for a day or two around the move, this isn't the right task — a local pet-sitter or boarding kennel is a simpler option for that.