Please don’t hesitate to contact us for all your pet shipping South Africa needs, we would love to help you ship your pet to South Africa.
Please see below information for your pet to travel to South Africa- Information and requirements for the importation of cats and dogs.
This is a summary of the main points only.
It is a requirement that cats and dogs are shipped as manifest cargo and not as excess baggage. Animals must be shipped in IATA approved transit kennels that allow the animal to stand up without touching the top of the box, lie down and turn around.
There is no quarantine for Cats & Dogs entering South Africa from the UK as long as all the paperwork is completed correctly - if not, then animals are subject to a minimum of 14 days quarantine.
Micro chipping your pet with an ISO compliant microchip is now a requirement.
From the UK the following paperwork is required:
An Import Permit obtained from South Africa. The recommended time scale for applying for an Import Permit is 6 to 8 weeks in advance.
An Official Export Health Certificate, which must be applied for from APHA. This must be completed and certified by your OV within 10 days of departure.
A written declaration certifying that the animal(s) will be transported in container(s) which conform to IATA standards which will prevent contact en route with animals of a lesser health status and a declaration that the animals have been continuously resident in Great Britain since birth, or continuously resident in the UK or South Africa for the last six months.
For dogs only, there is a set of 7 blood tests/smears that must be completed and submitted to APHA Weybridge for testing within the 30 days prior to export.
Unless your pet is entering South Africa directly from Australia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom, a rabies vaccination administered not less than 30 days and not more than 12 months prior to entry is required. The vaccination must be administered after the microchip is implanted. Note that South Africa does not accept a 2 or 3 year vaccination. It is recommended that you vaccinate your pet against rabies prior to departure, as it is law that all dogs resident in South Africa must have been vaccinated against rabies.
Animals must be cleared at one of these Customs Airports:
Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban.
