Mrs Pointer

We're taking our two german shorthaired pointers and it will be around £4-5k, but I liked the point about them making the first months easier. I totally agree - people speak to you when you have dogs (or kids).

We will probably go with Golden Arrow because we want to board them for 2 weeks after we fly to allow us time to find a rental with a big garden and a high fence. They have to stay on the property for a month and ours are used to and need a lot of exercise so I expect speedways round the garden and being driven to distraction until they can get out and about.

cliffbarrimore

Hi
Whereabouts in NZ are you going, we found it very difficult to get somewhere that would take dogs or any pets... we are doing a rent-to-buy that way we can do what we like with the property, even give it back and move on if we like.. good luck, we found it really hard, one thing get references for your dogs if you can, saying what they are like, difficult I know but the more you give to the landlord the less chance they can say no, also offer to have the house professionally cleaned on leaving and offer a 'pet bond' for if they damage anything...try and cover everything and you should be OK

Cliff

Mrs Pointer

Auckland or Wellington - depends on jobs really. There were certainly more rental options with dogs in Auckland than in Wellington.

Our dogs are big and lively, but they are well-trained and well-exercised. And I have a very good carpet cleaner.

My neighbour hated dogs, but now wants one having spent time with ours - I'll get her to write a reference!!

Wooly_Cow

Auckland is many times bigger than Wellignton and the sections are in general larger so you will have more chance at a decent rental....but it will still be a hard job!

You will have to register the two dogs. In many places having one dogs is OK but two or more need the council to check your property (I think)

In Wellington walking you dogs is an issue near the City. Most City beaches are shut for dogs during the hours of daylight in summertime. The Town Belt walks are on leash mostly.

If you do come to Wellington you'd be best living in The Hutt valley (Upper Hutt) or on the Kapiti Coast.

Jan n Neil

We live rural and when we asked the local council if we needed permission or inspections for 3 or 4 dogs we got blank looks from the staff.... but if we lived in ChCh I know that we wouldn't even be allowed to have our 4 dogs - they are pretty strict about things such as :

• dog free areas and dog free access to the house for dog haters/allergic people
• the size of space outside (garden) around the house
• the neighbours' views - neighbours can refuse to consent to more than 2 dogs next door in ChCh

zoexr

Sounds like my experience!! Only I got lost several times on my way to the cargo pickup. Then I threatened to cry after I thought they were sending me to the terminal again!
Oh and then they offered me 2 different dogs rather than mine!
Finally after all this, I had a 5 and half hour drive back to Napier, as they wouldn't fly the bulldog any further than Auckland because of fears of her breathing... but she was fine

Foxesecho

Hi we brought our two at a cost of £3500 with Golden Arrow and picked them up with not too much hassel from the airport.

If your animals are 'de-sexed' as they like to say here, bring a letter from your vet to say that it has been done and it will cost you less each year to register them.

Mrs Pointer

Or they could just have a wee look or feel - they're both boys and short-haired so it's pretty obvious that they're not packing any heat

Good tip though.

Shazmoo

Hi, were taking our Border collie with us when we fly over in Dec, weve just paid passport for pets 1500pounds for the flight and one nights borad at Heathrow, then its going to be another 500 for vets stuff. I'm terrified about the flight, Jacko is flying out a week later than us but I hate the thought of him being stuck in a box for 30hours!! Hopefully he will just sleep....

I spose 30hours for a lifetime of fun and frolicks on the beach is a small price to pay, Jacko flies Manc to heathrow then one night board, then heathrow to LA, LA to Auk, Auk to Welly. Poor boy

Luckily, i haven't heard any horror stories of dogs getting lost etc, all the experiences on here have been quite positive, I hope i have one more positive tale to tell when Jackos trip is over!

forshy

worth every penny! and we have even made really good friends on the beach due to our beautiful dalmatian

cliffbarrimore

Goodness, just had the first lot of tests done at the vet... just under £500 for my two dogs, same again on the 23rd, so I guess the same price!! slight shock, but who would want to re-home their pets, more to the point who would want two bonkers boxers

londonescapee

I thought the requirement for them to stay in house quarantine had been lifted? Or has that changed again? I know it used to be 30 days but when I checked again it wasn't on the MAF website any more.

Oh god so true about the settling in bit - I am missing our Cav like mad right now - sitting here watching all the doggies walking past on the seafront and feeling very jealous. I may go out and cuddle this little Yorkie sitting next to me in a minute just to get some doggie affection! (there was a beautiful Collie pup on the beach earlier I had to scuttle over for a look and a hug ). Once she is here we will feel complete again - next Saturday whoop! We keep thinking we need to get home for the dog and then realising that she's not here yet

We are using Golden Arrow who have been amazing - hubby didn't realise that she needed to be wormed when her first set of tests were done (although I told him to get the vets to read the lettter about 5 times - men! ) and I took her in on our last day to have it done after a panicked consultation with them on the phone cost £75 just for the blinkin' letter! They were fab about the whole thing and very reassuring. We also have kenneled her with them because our friend who was looking after her had to travel on business and at literally a day's notice they came and collected her and are sorting out the rest of her testing stuff.

The others I tried were very good and nice but wouldn't let us kennel her for part of the time as they said they needed to do all the testing. Golden Arrow were so flexible.

janeyk

we did not have that problem with whitehouse kennels in WSM they took over half way through and it was fine they are used to doing that i could not recommend them enoug, outr total tests for 1 dog were 240 GBP

Mrs Pointer

We're going with Golden Arrow. Yes I think they testing with them might be a bit more expensive than starting off with our vet, but I'll have enough on my mind by then. Just want an easy option.

And they need to be boarded for a fortnight and I thought that looked good. Moving them from Scotland is a bit more complicated and the costs vary. I don't want them to go on a flight from Glasgow to Heathrow - I'd rather drive them to England myself or have them picked up.

pixi-dust

We used Golden Arrow as well and they were magnificent!
I remember picking up Bob dog and the cats so well. DH and I ran from terminal to MAF to terminal etc - now I am incredibly unfit and usually I would have been moaning like hell! But I was so excited to see them I think I sort of flew!

Our poor cats had another 3 and a half hour journey home still in their crates, but Bob got a run on the beach. All of them were absolutely fine.

As for rentals - we were lucky - the people that had employed DH sorted out a lovely cottage for us that took us and the animals - if it's possible if you know someone that knows someone that would help a lot.

Some of the tests were done in the Uk by us and the vet, then I think it was a week GA needed them for and they built the crates for each animal and did the last lot of tests. Like has been said already its the timing of everything that's the important factor. Collecting poo from cats is a wee bit tricky!

I remember our vet being so impressed with the paperwork that came from GA - they had been in a bit of a state about it as had done it a few times before and said it was incredibly difficult with all the regulations, but ith the GA paperwork all set out it was easy.

Mrs Pointer - we did the same - we drove down from Scotland and the day we were leaving, with 2 cats, a big dog and a huge bag each with all our worldly posessions - to go to the other side of the world! What an adventure. GA is a little tricky to find, but once we got there it's in such a beautiful place and the staff there are very understanding of blubbering people.