Source-checked

Pet travel from the United States to New Zealand

What you need, in order

Recommended lead time: start about 150 days before travel.

Requirements reviewed against the destination authority's published instructions on 2026-09-19. Steps decided outside Petra are listed below.

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Read MPI's CATDOG.GEN import health standard

The governing standard (full PDF on MPI's website) walks the timeline. Reading it before booking saves expensive re-bookings later.
Apply for the MPI Permit to Import Required

Apply online well ahead (allow ~20 business days / ~30 working days). Without the permit the pet is refused entry.
RNATT sample 3–12 months before shipment

MPI's 2026 Import Health Standard (Cats and Dogs 2026) requires a rabies neutralising antibody titre (FAVN/RFFIT) ≥0.5 IU/mL with the sample collected between 3 and 12 months before shipment — a 3-month minimum wait, NOT Australia's 180 days. The prior 2021 standard's 3-24 month window remains acceptable for shipments through 2027-04-01.
Dog-only tests + double parasite treatments

Dogs additionally need heartworm (treat + negative ELISA), Babesia gibsoni, Brucella canis, and leptospirosis testing/treatment per CATDOG.GEN, plus two internal and two external parasite treatments and a pre-export exam. Confirm the schedule with your vet.
Reserve an MPI-facility quarantine slot (min 10 days) Required

Auckland or Christchurch transitional facility, minimum 10 days. A confirmed booking is mandatory before travel. Book early.

NZ Health Certificates A and B are completed and APHIS-endorsed outside Petra (Phase 2); Petra records that they were accepted, not that Petra issued them.
MPI's 2026 Import Health Standard (Cats and Dogs 2026) is the standard modeled here; MPI also accepts the prior 2021 standard (CATDOG.GEN) for shipments through 2027-04-01, which this ruleset does not separately model.

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Petra's recommended lead time for the United States to New Zealand is 150 days before travel.

Yes — Rabies antibody titre (RNATT ≥ 0.5 IU/mL).

NZ Health Certificate A (home-country attestations, APHIS-endorsed)

Petra's New Zealand (MPI) ruleset for this corridor, last reviewed 2026-09-19 (see Primary sources below).

Requirements reviewed against the destination authority's published instructions on 2026-09-19. Steps decided outside Petra are listed below.