Pollster

Well, the pooch arrived in NZ yesterday - and what a state she was when she came out the crate - completely dehydrated, covered in s**t as she had literally been s****ing herself with fear all the way by the look of the inside of the crate. Very frightened and very stressed indeed - I was so upset to see her like that and it means that there is no way we are going back to the UK - we have to make it work here because there is no way I am putting her through that again.

However, after an argument with a pig of a customs man (NB you need your passport and visa to get your dog through customs - no bugger thought to tell me that) I got her in the truck and we started what was to be a 8 hour journey home as I stopped every hour to give her loads of water and a little food at a time and a bit of a run.

She had a swim in the Waikato River, which washed her off quite a bit and made her a lot more pleasant to cuddle, and by the time we reached New Plymouth she was looking 100% better and beginning to bounce!

This morning you wouldn't have known anything had been wrong - bright eyed bushy tailed and currently in disgrace for a)doing a pee in the lounge ( because the house is sooo big she is a bit confused about what is in and what is out! and all that water she has been drinking has to come out somewhere!) and b) opening the fridge and eating a load of ham - back to normal then!

She is very thin because she doesn't eat too well away from me but that can be rectified and the sight of her bombing about on the beach this morning, diving into the surf after sticks and generally having a ball bought a tear to my eye (ahhh).

Other news from NP - the house has fleas so that is a job for this afternoon; Nick is settling quite well at work - dealing with some very complicated Maori land disputes but coping fine; the truck ran like a dream all the way to Auckland and back; Kiwis are soooo law abiding when it come to speed limits it is amazing ( and bit frustrating for a speed demon like myself); and our stuff leaves the UK on March 14 on the container; and life is great!!

artep

Hi Pollster

Glad to hear your pooch is better now.........must've been awful to see her in such a state when you met her

Good to hear she's recovered quickly from the ordeal

sky

Your poor dog but she seems to be getting over it well am happy for you. We left all our three cats behind in the end with relatives and friends as I did suspect the plane journey would be very traumatic. but I think you did the right thing bringing cos I am missing my pets sooooo much.

Pollster

We wouldn't have come to NZ if she wasn't coming Sky, although I have to say the state she arrived in would have made me think twice if I had known.

However, the fact she has recovered so well and so quickly ( currently beating up a squeaky toy skunk!) has reinforced the fact I have done the right thing - and it is so lovely to have her back causing havoc again!

scrawni

I'm glad that she is ok now that she is back with you.

We are just in the process of ringing round for quotes to take our two labradors with us to Oz, who did you use?

I am a bit nervous after reading your post especially as our girl does frett a bit without us. Hopefully it will be ok.

Mandy

S Oldfield

I am so sorry Pllster, I honestly thought pooch would have been well looked after. On these `airline `programmes they show the `vets` side and the animals always seem so cared for.
I would have been fuc.ing livid if it was my dog, (even though I dont have one) and would have to make a stong complaint.

Hope pooch recovers and lives happily ever after on the other side of the world!!

Pollster

I used Par Air, Scrawni, and they were very good, I must say.

I don't think the state of Bracken was due to negligence by anyone, I just think the journey was very very frightening and stressful for her.

The only thing I would say is that the water dishes are quite small - there is no way they could put enough water in it to last for 12 hours ( or one leg of the journey).

The MAF people at Auckland were lovely - the guy had Bracken out of her crate and out on the grass for the necessary the second she got there and they got her the biggest tub of fresh water ( as she turned down a small bowl of water that had bene there for a bit). The girls were very reassuring too, saying she looked so bad because she was dehydrated but she would get better very quickly.

And they were right - she is absolutely fine now - running about, begging for tidbits, beating up her toys and distributing dog hairs everywhere.

I wouldn't say to people - don't take your dog - because Bracken is proof that although they may not cope with it too well ( and she is very nervy anyway) they soon bounce back.

As hubby said - we looked a state when we got off the plane - how could we expect Bracken to look her best?

Simone

Yay for Bracken!!!

Phew!......

Phoenixuk2oz

You really do have to have a dog to understand the closeness dont ya

So good to hear your baby is now OK & no long lasting after effects

Phoenixuk2oz

helinuk

I've been thinking of you and your pooch this week. glad to hear she's now ok.You have lots of countryside to explore-enjoy:-)

So no quarantine?
we left our first springer behind in uk when went to live in Singapore- it would have been cruel to take such a lively dog there. But If we ever get visas to oz I would love to take Will with us. He's already part of the family.
Helen

hevs

so pleased for you pol. We left our 14 year collie old behind, she wouldn't have survived, got a lump in my throat reading that though!! all together now aahhh

Pollster

Ah - you have unerringly put your finger on a negative about NZ - all that countryside and you aren't allowed there!

All the walkways are dog on lead ( mine needs to run - any lead time is only when neccessary and regarded as a nuisance by us both) and any tracks are no dog.

Beach access is restricted to the middle of the night and parks are on lead - how the bloody hell am I sposed to keep her exercised?

Apparently people take no notice of the dog on lead signs, though, and as another chap I met today said - if I was out on one of the tracks with her, the chances of meeting anyone who cared was slight - in fact the chances of meeting anyone at all is pretty non-existent!

We have found one place where they have forgotten the dog signs - a gorgeous reserve with a river running through it - Bracken has spent the best part of three hours racing about, swimming and ambushing small children waving sticks and is now flaked out on the carpet - we have taken a piccie because it doesn't happen very often!

oh sorry - edited to say no quarantine for NZ - I am not surprised as the number and variety of blood tests required to bring her here would have located all but the rarest of the rare ie hasn't been discovered yet diseases. She is officially healthier than me!

Larissa

Hi Pollster, good to hear that pooch is settling in... she must be amazed at all the space!
Bracken's experience is very similar to my parents with their cats, which were flown to Greece. They were covered in their own wee and distressed. Some of the wet may well have been from the feeding bottles which you have to attach, which I think were prone to leak - it might be worth getting more expensive ones, or asking around about this. Not a lot can be done (try to line the bottom of the crate with baby changing mats made by pampers - very absorbant) but they do bounce back surprisingly quickly. I guess they are overcome by all the lovely new smells etc. and forget everything - its not like they're being systematically badly treated...
As far as I know, I don't think there are people looking after the animals in the hold - does anyone know? I think they heat the hold though (they don't usually when not carrying livestock, so it would otherwise get really cold).

helinuk

I'm surprised at no quarantine, good news by your dog tho:-)
I think its 30 days in OZ:-(
Glad you found somewhere to walk Bracken today, what a pest to find it all lead only areas. As you say its not as if the dog would annoy anyone!
My dog isn't so bothered about beaches he likes to chase deer, sqirrels, and follow the scent.... and he's so strong my arm hurts from having him on a lead for a 2 1/2 mile walk-thats from home around the common and back. So I now take him by car so he can run around almost straight away.

have a good weekend
Helen