[Vision]

Hi

Well, after looking at this forum for a week or so now I decided it's time we start making some friends in NZ and everywhere in the world.

This is obviously a particular bad time to try and sort out stuff like NZQA's and EOI's, but we are keeping the hopes up and in the mean time we are gathering information.

We have decided to move to NZ and we want to live in Hamilton. We are from the center part of South Africa and in comparison, Hamilton seems to be the best place for us to go to . I have applied for a job there thru the internet and we are keeping our fingers crossed. Maybe someone on this forum has had some positive experience with an agency in the Waikato/Hamilton area that they can recommend to us?. We may need to acquire the services of an agency there.

We want to bring our dog (Yorkshire Terrier) with us and any suggestions or information from people who also brought a doggie along, will also be welcome. I understand it is a month quarantine for pets from SA in NZ?.

I hope to be posting a lot more and hopefully one day have the opportunity to help others from my own practical experience in moving from SA to NZ.

Regards

Leon :cheers

[eternalkiwi]

Depending on what type of work you are seeking there is Key Recruitment in Hamilton that from memory have helped a few people from South Africa. They also offer some assistance with the visa process, though I am not sure of what they charge for this assistance.

There are a number of other recruitment agents in Hamilton, some are generalists and others specialise in certain markets.

What type of work are you seeking?

Shawn

[Vision]

I am a Project Manager - IT (Software Development). Will also be interested in PM in another field and not only IT though.

[kanatakiwi]

We want to bring our dog (Yorkshire Terrier) with us and any suggestions or information from people who also brought a doggie along, will also be welcome. I understand it is a month quarantine for pets from SA in NZ?.



First of all a big welcome to the forum! :nice1 the collective wisdom here will usually be enough to answer any of the your questions no matter how difficult.

Now for the bad news:
Unless something has changed very recently, I think it's four months quarantine for dogs from South Africa. I just checked the MAF website and it still says 120 days. See below.

"Animals shall be held for a minimum period of 120 days in a transitional facility approved to the MAF Standard for Dog and Cat Transitional Facilities 154.02.09"

Its one month from US and Canada, and those lucky ducks from the UK don't have to go through any quarantine period.

If anyone has some news of a change in the policy for South African dogs,I would be happy to be corrected. (very happy.....4 months is too long for any dog to stay in those little kennels!):(

G

[Mickstim]

Welcome to the forum Leon!!

[holland]

Hello and welcome to the forum

J and G x

[Vision]

Thanks for the replies and welcoming and yea...it seems like I mixed up the US/Canada 30 days with SA, unfortunately:no . I guess we will have to beef up the little guy with an extra layer of fat before we leave here and try our best to visit him as often as possible once he has arrived in Auckland. These pethavenkennels.co.nz kennels seems like a good place and after all, four months is long but it will pass. He is a very tough little dog. We will have to move on the rabies test asap though - at least six months before he can go. This is not good news but I guess everything is not always plain sailing and we will have to adapt as we go along.

[victoria]

Welcome & the very best of luck on your forthcoming adventure. I like your priorities . . . sorting out your four legged friend. What a lucky pooch!!

[Vision]

Thanks Victoria. Sorting out the little guy is the only way I can get the OH to come also....just joking;) . Life will not be the same if we leave him here and I know it will be expensive but still he deserves to be with us.

[ourquest]

Life will not be the same if we leave him here

Yes, especially for him!

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your plans. My brother-in-law and his wife took 4 dogs with them in 2003 (also from SA), and it was certainly a process, but I am sure they would not have had it any other way. I will find out from him specifically if he has any suggestions to make it easier.

[Vision]

Hi Ourqest

I will appreciate it a lot if you could get me a few tips from someone who has gone thru the process. Info about costs etc. will also come in handy.
I am going to get the necessary tests (rabies etc) underway this weekend.
I am not sure approximately how far is "40 minutes south of Auckland airport" from Hamilton. It seems to me that is about the closest kennels to Hamilton for pets in quarantine. My brother stays in Auckland and they will have to make "parental visits" to the little guy at least twice a week. The little guy in question is actually a 6.7 kg Yorkie and definitely not of the "miniature" type. He'll make it, no question about it.

[kanatakiwi]

Hi Ourqest


I am not sure approximately how far is "40 minutes south of Auckland airport" from Hamilton. It seems to me that is about the closest kennels to Hamilton for pets in quarantine. My brother stays in Auckland and they will have to make "parental visits" to the little guy at least twice a week. ..

If its Pethaven you are talking about I think they are a great kennel> the owner Robin is a very caring woman. They are in the Bombay Hills, the kennels look over pastoral fields and the dogs get a view of this, unlike Qualifed Pet service in Takinini, (closer to Auckland) but bigger, (40 dogs vs 10) and the dogs look at concrete walls.
Its harder on larger dogs who don't get the necessary exercise but I am guessing your little guy will be able to run around and burn off the calories quite nicely

[Vision]

Yes, I am talking about Pethaven - looks like a great place judging from their website. It will certainly be much less traumatic for a smaller dog than a big one.

Leon