bourbon-biscuit

Wow, you live in a totally different NZ to me! Where I lived (and have lived and visited) in NZ dogs are NOT allowed in the bush and urban areas are zoned with on and off leash areas and absolute no-go areas; off leash areas are restricted fenced dog exercise areas and the no-go areas surround children's play parks. I don't know of any real bush round here where dogs are allowed.

ETA: ditto beaches- apart from remote ones (my preference anyway) the patrolled beaches are generally no-dogs or dogs on leash only between October and Easter (summer).

bananalana

Guess it depends where you live maybe but I have never seen those kind of restrictions.

Obviously dogs are not allowed in childrens play parks but I have never seen them not allowed in the surrounding area....usually you might have a kids area at one end and a dog area at the other end. That's just common sense really.

And the only restrictions I have seen from beaches is dogs being restricted/leashed between say 9am and 7pm on popular swimming beaches over summer.

Maybe it was the places I frequented but we used to go to all those places regularly with our dogs as did a lot of other people.

However, now I think about it...I do remember parts of the Kapiti Coast beach being dogs on lead only....though no restriction on hours.

Perhaps it has changed in the last few years since I have been in Oz, but there certainly werent all the restrictions you are mentioning when I left 2.5 years ago.

There are a lot here in Sydney and I remember thinking when I got here how strict it was compared to NZ.

pixi-dust

We're in the category of "no way would we have left the dog" Bob is my baby no question. We've no kids and our animals are our family.
We had no problems renting with him and 2 cats when we arrived but it probably helped that the couple who dh was going to work with helped to arrange it.
I do tend agree that there are more restrictions for dog walking. We know the secret beaches, but after six years still haven't managed to find a good hill walk to take the dogs. We also have a lot of land with streams and rivers so it's never been a problem for us getting out with them (we've added two more since getting here)

We've found that most places will have a domain with a dog friendly area for off lead play.

I can say without a doubt that if we couldn't have taken bob with us to NZ we wouldn't be he now, but somewhere else that we could have taken him with us.

babybella

we brought our dog Bella and I did worry loads about her, whether it would be too stressful for her and if we were being selfish for putting her through the flight. She is only two and a lovely nature but a big nervous around traffic ect.
However she survived the flight fine, we got stuck in the ash cloud and delayed in Sydney so had to arrange for father in law to pick her up. He had put a towel on the floor of his car but princess Bella was having non of that and promtly jumped into the front seat and settled down. She had never been on a beach before but loves it her, playing in the waves.
I am so glad we brought her, so are the whole family. She gives me a reason to get out everyday on the beach, meet and chat to people. Having said that not looking forward to tomorrow morning walk as the pridicted storm has just hit Kapiti.
It is expensive to bring your animal and think that the only person who can decide if it is right is the owner of the pet. Had Bella been a sickly or older dog I may have made a different decision.
Kaz

BEVS

Nopes.
This is not how it is in NZ. I feel that BB has given a very accurate description based on my experience around NZ and where I live.


Dogs off the lead are very restricted here. Hopefully did the right kind of linky. However, people will ignore the rules regardless & jeopardise DOC's efforts . Hunting dogs excepted of course but that is widely abused to be honest.

Recently I went to Golden Bay and to Tata beach. This is a dog restricted area because of the bird wildlife & what is happening . Dogs can be on the beach but during certain hours only depending on the season.. People wilfully were ignoring this yet it is their land, their beach and their bird wildlife.

pilottinker

We have a rather special Maine Coon cat who weighs about 22 pounds. We brought him from America to New Zealand. Cost more than a small car to buy him in the first place and ship him to NZ. Rules have changed about quaranteen to UK ( our homeland) , but even with the more expensive old system we would still take him with us

love30stm

Awwww he's so gorgeous!

faye_h

Wow - 22lbs!! One of our cats weighs around 14lbs and I thought she was heavy! Yours is gorgeous though.

We had 2 bunnies back in the UK and if they were allowed to come to NZ I would have paid anything to get them out here. Luckily my sister in law has taken them in and has since had a child who loves them to bits so I know they are being cared for.

If we ever go back to the UK we will be taking our 2 cats that we have adopted out here. If the cats can't move then neither can I.

bananalana

Perhaps you misread my post...I said dogs can be taken to those areas.

Understandably dogs are going to be "restricted" or have rules in certain areas due to wild life, but thats completely different to a dog not being able to go anywhere which is being implied.

I spent the first 29 years of my life in NZ (until 2 years ago), and I am a bit of a stickler for doggy rules and as I said, never seen the restrictions that are being stated (which I am reading as dogs pretty much cant go anywhere).

perhaps I am not being clear about what I mean. I am not saying there are absolutely no restrictions on hours or leads or whatever, but I read the initial post as pretty much saying that dogs cant go anywhere...which is simply not true. Dogs can go lots of places and yes, they can go to the bush and the beach and the river. Yep, there may be rules or restrictions...however...in my experience, where I frequented, there were hardly any.

P18PPS

Certainly if you live in Auckland (as many do), there are very tight restrictions on dogs on city beaches - between easter and November (i.e. winter) you are pretty much ok, though all through the summer you are restricted to after 7pm and before 7am - these times are strictly managed and certainly I have witnessed along Tamaki Drive in and the city beaches the dog wardens can be seen daily issuing tickets to anyone not complying (even when 10 mins over!).

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to get out of the city on a daily/weekly basis, yet still wanting to use the beaches with the family during the summer months - this is where it becomes difficult (even impossible) within the central city to find somewhere to take everyone including your 4-legged friends.

Campsites also have tight restrictions on dogs - certainly all the DOC sites do not allow dogs, as do (I think) the Top10 chain. Your comments imply that there are no or very little restrictions with dogs around the country - this is not true and would urge those thinking about bringing dogs to think about how they intend to live their lives out here and whether a dog will fit.

Am Loolah

We are very lucky where we live in that there are very few restrictions. Can't take the dog round the Mount or on Mount main beach, but rest of the 24kms of beach is ok ...

Parks ok. Retails areas ok. Not Papamoa Hills as like a National park. That's about it really for where I am.

But do what we did before moving. Google the district's website (council website) where I found a whole section on dog control/areas/rules etc. I'd imagine most district councils provide the same information.

Everyone has different, personal reasons for if they bring their pets or if they don't bring their pets. Up to the individual at the end of the day. I don't think one for minute anyone would just abandon a pet so they would be carefully rehoused I expect, if not coming.

babybella

We are lucky on the Kapati coast, dogs can go on the beach anywhere at the moment although I think that changes come November through summer and they are restricted to certain areas. But I have to check that out. Cost of shipping Bella was about £3,200 all up with checks ect, but we did sneak it just before the quarantine change.
kaz

Shazmoo

I am of the belief that dogs are part of the family, i could of never left jacko behind but same as BB i worried about him on the flight, fortunTely he coped really well and now were living by the beach and frollocking in the ocean everyday. Now jacko has a 14 week old sister and she too is top priority when it comes to choosing rentals and places to live.

Bo-Jangles

Nobody should be made to feel any worse than they already do about leaving a pet behind with a loving home or family member. I am sure nobody here would be dumping a pet out on it's arse, so that they can emigrate.

There's a whole different level of what's befitting of due care and attention when it comes to pets in NZ. You only have to look at how many get dumped or left to the SPCA over the Christmas holidays, .to know that people can't even make arrangements for their annual holidays let alone a long term or permanent move overseas.

frog99

I think it depends on the situation with your pet.

I rescued a boxer just over 3 years ago and I love him to bits but he is extremely nervous and has a heart condition and the vet advised that it wasn't in his best interests to fly him out. He would most probably either die of stress in transit or never fully recover at the other end.

Would it be fair for me to fly him out or better for him to stay in the UK with a family member? Needless to say - he won't be joining us at the other side of the world...