How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Pet from Canada to New Zealand?
A cat or dog from Canada comes in under New Zealand’s category 3, for countries where rabies is absent or well controlled. That means an import permit, a rabies titre test, parasite treatments before the flight and at least ten days in quarantine on arrival, plus, under MPI’s 2026 standard, an official check of the microchip months ahead. Start the paperwork before you book anything.
What it costs, line by line
| Cost | Amount | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| MPI import permit | NZD $268.24 including GST | New Zealand MPI |
| Rabies titre test, FAVN or RFFIT | Set by the laboratory | Approved laboratory |
| Quarantine on arrival, minimum 10 days | Set by the facility | Approved New Zealand quarantine facility |
| Export certificate endorsement | Set by the CFIA at the endorsement appointment | CFIA |
| Microchip, ISO 11784 or Annex A of 11785 | Set by your clinic | Your veterinarian |
| Parasite treatments before the flight | Set by your clinic | Your veterinarian |
| IATA crate | Amazon.ca, read 18 September 2026, lists the Petmate Sky Kennel at CAD $188 to $674 across sizes 200, 300, 400 and 700 | Retail |
| Airline freight | Quoted per booking | Airline |
The timings come from MPI’s import health standard, and they changed with its 2026 edition, which every cat and dog arriving from 1 April 2027 has to meet. Our New Zealand requirements page sets them out in order.
Five dog types cannot enter New Zealand at all: the Brazilian Fila, the Dogo Argentino, the Japanese Tosa, the Perro de Presa Canario and the American Pit Bull Terrier type. That is a prohibition rather than a permit question, and no amount of paperwork changes it.
How flight pricing works on this route
Live animal freight from Canada is priced per booking rather than from a rate card, and a cat or dog can land in New Zealand only at Auckland or Christchurch. Chargeable weight is whichever is greater, the actual weight of pet and crate together, or a volume figure taken from the crate’s dimensions, so for most dogs the crate decides the price. Send us the two cities and the crate size and we will quote the real rate.
What is not included here
Your vet sets their own fees. The microchip, the vaccination, the titre blood draw, the parasite treatments and a dog’s other tests are priced by your clinic and vary by province. The titre test’s laboratory fee and the quarantine facility’s daily rate are set by those bodies and sit outside these figures.
What moves the price
Quarantine is the line that varies most, because you choose the facility and the stay is a minimum of ten days rather than a fixed ten. After that it is crate size, the season, and how tightly your titre and treatment dates line up with your travel date. A titre sample drawn too late resets the three month clock and moves the whole move.
Figures and sources
Checked 25 September 2026 against MPI’s pages on bringing cats and dogs to New Zealand and its fees and charges, last reviewed 7 August 2026. The 2026 import health standard has been in force since 1 July 2026, and the 2021 edition it replaces can still be used for a pet arriving before 1 April 2027; MPI suggests asking the CFIA or a pet transport company which one applies to your dates. The endorsement fee is set in Part 11 of the CFIA Fees Notice.
Want this priced for your pet and dates?
Send us the route, the breed and roughly when you want to travel. Request a quote and we will reply with an itemized plan, a timeline and a real number for your pet rather than a range.
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