Hi Dave,
I think there are a good number of telecoms jobs available in New Zealand, but I would expect that browsing agency websites would give you a better idea!

For your dogs, yes, it is a lot of hastle to take them! Coming from the UK they will need a set of injections and an identity chip before departure. Then you need to find a company that will handle pets as cargo. Once all that is sorted, pets must be transported to Auckland airport so that they can be checked out by the MAF (www.maf.govt.nz) for all their correct injections and the chip. If it all checks out, you can usually take them without any quarantine period as there is no rabies etc in the UK any more.

I suppose its more of a lengthy and expensive process, as compared to being a complicated one. And all that on top of only taking them out there for a year, I would think would also make it a very stressful time for the dogs.

Hope this helps