[nolasmom]

Part Two of my ongoing series of posts...

Many people can’t imagine moving without bringing their pets. We thought long and hard about the implications, emotional and financial, of importing our dog and cat. The “pup” is a 12 year old Chow/Retriever mix, the biggest love muffin you’ll ever meet. I’ve had the cat since the first Clinton administration.

We researched what would be entailed and found many recommendations for a pet export firm based in Los Angeles which specializes in moves to NZ and Australia. We received a quote for close to $5000 for both pets including US vet fees, airfare, NZ quarantine, and necessary paperwork. After many teary nights, we decided to give the pup to my husband’s sister. His health was declining and we feared he might not survive the flights.

The stress involved in moving just the cat was not to be believed. Multiple vet appointments were necessary in the weeks before our move. A three-hour round trip jaunt to a USDA vet to check our papers and give an officious-looking stamp was a ridiculous last-minute requirement. Unforeseen circumstances delayed the cat’s departure until three days after ours. The pet exporter was uncommunicative, often unavailable, and generally unpleasant in the weeks leading up to the cat’s move. I won’t name them on the forum, but you can deduce who it is. The final cost to move just the cat was nearly $4000, close to $1500 over estimate.

The NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) oversees all animal imports, and they can change regulations and requirements whenever they please and are sloth-like in updating their website. If you have an application under review when a rule is changed, you are not “grandfathered” in. Your file is put on hold while you jump through the newest hoop.

The quarantine facility outside of Christchurch (the only one on the South Island) treated our cat wonderfully. She happened to be the only cat during her month-long stay and was spoiled rotten. Even with the great care, we have noticed some disturbing changes in her personality.

I would advise you to think long and hard about the toll the importng process will take on humans and pets alike. The stress on everyone involved can be enormous. The cost of moving one pet, let alone multiples, is high financially and emotionally. If you decide to bring them, start the process no later than 3 months before your move date. Some would advise 6 months. Explain the process to your vet before you get started. You may find that he or she does not want to be bothered (we discovered our vet's passive-aggressive nature midway through). MAF is inflexible and snippy when contacted and pointing out their mistakes will get you nowhere.

Even though we love having our sweet old girl with us, if we were given a do-over we would have found her a nice home before we moved.