Costs (for up to 4 rats):
North Island – Pet bus: $75 Carrier: $30 Drop off: $30 TOTAL: $135
South Island – Pet bus: $98 Carrier: $30 Drop off: $30 TOTAL: $158
I’m happy to send rats out of Auckland on the pet bus. You can find out all about the process on the pet bus website and I will briefly outline how it works here too.
The pet bus is a company that transports pets around NZ. They do a run every month or so. They operate with a main bus and a shuttle that takes animals to places that main bus doesn’t go. You can see their usual route here (or scroll down a bit – I’ve added to the bottom of this post)
If you wold like to have you babies sent to you please let me know when I send out the preferences survey. If you are chosen as a new home I will book your babies on to the pet bus and they’ll send you an invoice that you will need to pay before their travel date. The prices (at the moment) are $75 within the North Island and $98 if they will be going to the South Island. This is for up to four rats with no insurance.
I’ll set up a carry cage and get your babies used to it. I usually use the $20 cat carriers from k-mart as they’re a good size and one of the more cost effective options (though I’m happy to get you something different if you’d prefer) I include a hammock, a travel sized water bottle, and a d-cup for food also which brings the overall cost of the carrier to $30.
Sometimes I can drop babies off at the pick up point (in the school holidays – I’m a teacher), but more often than not I’ll be at work so I pay someone else to do it – this adds another $30 to the cost.
On the day they will leave I settle your babies into their carrier with a dry food mix (enough to last them the whole trip), some cucumber for them to nibble on to keep them hydrated, and a full water bottle. I also tape extra food to the top of the carrier and make sure your name and phone number are clearly visible. They’ll meet the pet bus at Manukau Tennis Center, check in, and start their trip to you! You can track their journey on the pet bus website. You will need to make sure you (or someone) are on time to meet the pet bus when it gets to your stop, where you’ll sign over your babies and take them home!
The Pet Bus dates for 2019 are:
25th January to 2nd February
22nd February to 2nd March
22nd March to 30th March
17th April to 25th April
24th May to 1st June
21st June 29th June
26th July to 3rd August
23rd August to 31st August
20th September to 28th September
25th October to 2nd November
13th December to 21st December ( to confirm)
These are the usual pet bus stops, though this is subject to change – it’s a good idea to email them and ask if you have any questions about their route.
Day One
6.30am Te Awamutu mobil s/station – Arawata Street, Te Awamutu
8.00am Hamilton Animates – 787 Te Rapa Rd, Te Rapa Straight
8.20am Huntley river Haven Carpark – 160 Great Sth Rd
8.45am Mercer Mobil Truck stop Main road
9.00am Bombays BP truck stop – 203 Mill Rd
10.00am Manukau Tennis Centre Clover park sports bowl 44 Te Ir irangi Drive by greyhound racing track
11.30am Ngatea Hall – Main Road
12.00 Paeroa Engineering – 152 Normandy Road by Coopers tires
12.30pm Waihi – Past BP Service station on main road on left
1.00pm Katikati opp robert harris coffee shop at park area
2.00pm Tauranga racecourse float parking area or Pyes pa cemetery car park Pyes Pa road
3.00pm Rotorua Bunnings carpark 26/48 Old Taupo Rd, Mangakakahi, Rotorua
4.00pm Tirau Caltex Service Station Main road
4.20pm Putararu Challenge Main road
4.45pm Tokoroa KFC Main road
5.30pm Taupo Z Station by mega mitre 10 at 138 Thermal Explorer Hwy, Hilltop, Taupo
7.00pm Napier – BP Bayview Service station Main road
Day Two (Shuttle – only if viable with bookings)
Tiahape – Hunterville – Bulls – Palmerston North – Sanson Masterton Wellington
Day Two (Main Petbus)
8.00am Park estate winery car park – 2087 Pakowhai Road
9.00am Waipukarau Mobil S/station 2 Takapau Rd
10.00am Danniverke Mangatera dog Park North end of town opp Mangatera Hotel 2 High Street
11.30am Woodville opp caltex s/station On to Masterton- Featherston
12.00 Palmerston North Memorial park Entrance – Main Street East, Terrace End
1.30pm Sanson loo carpark Corner of state hwy 1 and 3
2.30pm Levin opp eel factory on main road
3.00pm Wiakanae by Mobil S/station
3.30pm Parapariumu countdown car park
5.30pm Marina Motor Lodge MANA Wellington
Day Three
2:30am Ferry crossing early morning
7.45am Landsdowne Park Blenheim – Lansdowne street
12.00 Kialkoura estimation
5.30 pm Woodend Fire Station area – 4 Eders Rd, Woodend,
8.00pm Johns road holiday park – 219 johns road
Day Four
Depart Christchurch 6am
6.30am Rolleston BP – at truck stop main road
7.30am Rakaia by Big Fish Statue and Toilets
8.00am Ashburton opp bunnings BP truck stop Main road
9.15am Timaru racecourse entrance – Pharlap statue, north end of town
10.30am Omarau z Truck stop North end main road by Toll Transport
11.30am Palmerston toilets Main road
1.00pm Dunedin southend warehouse carpark – Kensington Ave entrance
2.30pm Milton white horse Pub car park 161 Union Street
3.00pm Balcultha by Wrightsons on main Road
4.30pm Clinton opposite horse statues on main road
4.00pm Gore – 35 broughton street by motor camp
6.00pm Amble on Inn holiday park Invercargill 35 Chesney street
Day Five
24 hour break for log book – Bus sterilization
Day Six
6.00am Gore 35 Broughton street by motor camp
7.00am Clinton by Horses statue main road
8.00am Milton – white horse car park 161 Union Street Main road
9.30am Dunedin southend warehouse carpark Kensington Ave Entrance
10.30am Palmerston toilets Main Road
12.00 Omarau z truck stop north end of town Main Road by Toll Transport
1.00pm Timaru BP S/station Racecourse entrance way pharlap statue
3.00pm Ashburton by bunnings Main road
3.30pm Rakaia by Big Fish Statue and Toilets
6.00pm Johns road holiday park – 219 Johns Road
Day Seven
Depart Christchurch at 5am
6.00am Amberley Caltex Truck Stop Main Road
9.00 am Kiakouria
12.00 Blenhiem lansdowne park – Lansdowne road
530 to 6 pm Wellington Bluebridge Ferry Terminal Car Park
630 to 7 pm Wellington Marina Motor Lodge – 57 Mana Esplanade, Mana
Day Eight
6.30 am Paraparumu – Countdown car park Main Road
6.45am Waikanae mobil service station Main Road
7.00am Levin by z Station – Main Rod
8.00am Sanson Loo carpark Corner of state hwy 1 and State Hwy 3
9.00am Palmerston North Memorial park entrance – Main Street East, Terrace End, Palmerston North
9.45 am Woodville behind Caltex Service station main road
10.15 am Danniverke – dog park car park north end of town opp hotel
11.30am Waipukarau Opposite Mobil s/station
12.30 Park estate winery 2087 Pakowhai road
1.30pm BP Bayview Napier
3.30pm Taupo Z Station carpark – Will go via Rotorua if bookings allow
4.30pm Tokoroa BP s/station
5.00pm Tirau BP service station Main Road
6.00pm Cambridge Golf Course Car Park
6.30pm TeAwamutu opp Mobil S/station Arawata Street, Te Awamutu
Day Nine
Depart Teawamutu 6.30am
8.00am Hamilton Animates Terapa Straight 787 Te Rapa Rd, Te Rapa
8.30am Huntley River Haven carpark 160 Great Sth Rd
845 am Mercer mobil truck stop Main road
9.00am Bombays Bp Truck stop 203 Mill Rd
10.30am Manukau Tennis Centre Clover Park by Greyhound race track 44 Te Irirangi drive
12.30pm Hamilton Animates 787 Te Rapa Rd, Te Rapa Straight
Shuttle goes to Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane, Opotiki
