What is a Pet Passport?
We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents according to South Africa pet import requirements for dogs or cats entering the country. This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for resident pets. Your pet’s passport to enter South Africa will include proof of a microchip and current vaccinations, parasite treatments (dogs), blood tests (dogs), an export health certificate, and an import permit (certain countries). All South Africa pet import requirements are detailed below.
Animals Eligible for These Regulations
Unless otherwise stated, the regulations below apply to domestic dogs and cats, including service and assistance dogs and cats. Wolf hybrids and Savannah and Bengal cats, unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree, cannot be imported under these regulations. Service and emotional support animals are subject to all regulations listed here. Puppies under eight months of age are not permitted import unless accompanied by their mother.
Note: Special protocols have been established for pets fleeing the Middle East conflict with their owners destined for South Africa. Contact an agent in this country at IPATA.org for further information.
Pets in South Africa
The country’s pet care industry is well-developed, with a growing focus on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. Dogs are the most popular pets in South Africa with the most popular breeds being Boerboel (South African Mastiff), Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, and various small breeds like the Dachshund and Yorkshire Terrier. Cats and birds are also highly popular. Stray dogs and cats are a significant issue in many urban areas.
South Africa has a robust network of veterinary clinics offering a range of services from routine check-ups to advanced medical treatments. A wide range of pet products are available in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
Flights to South Africa
Flights to South Africa should be direct or transit through a rabies-controlled country or another EU Member State if possible*. *Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.
Find a Licensed Veterinarian
Before beginning any pet export procedure, make sure your veterinarian is approved by the governing veterinarian authority in your pet’s country of origin. The agency of the government that is responsible for the movement of live animals should either license or employ your veterinarian.
Quarantine for Pets Entering South Africa
Quarantine will be required for dogs entering South Africa from certain countries. Cats are not subject to quarantine.
Pets not meeting import regulations will be quarantined, returned to the origin country or euthanized. All costs are the responsibility of the importer.
South Africa Pet Import Requirements
All steps required to conform to South Africa pet import regulations must be completed in the origination country. Complete steps 1-6 in the order given.
Step 1: Pet Microchip
All cats and dogs entering South Africa must first be identified with a 15-digit pet microchip that is compliant with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 11784 or Annex A of 11785. The microchip number should be reflected on all documentation. If your pet’s current microchip is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, importers can provide a microchip scanner that will read their pet’s microchip.
Your veterinarian, a veterinary hospital, or a trained nurse should implant the microchip. You should receive documentation as to the manufacturer of the microchip and instructions on how to register your pet’s information in the manufacturer’s or government’s database.
Microchip numbers must be recorded on all documentation required in your pet’s passport to enter South Africa.
Step 2: Vaccinations
All cats and dogs must have proof of current rabies vaccination. The vaccination must have been administered between 30 days and 12 months prior to entering South Africa.
The administering veterinarian should either issue a rabies certificate or record vaccination information in a government-issued vaccination booklet or EU Pet Passport, sign, and stamp.
Vaccinating your cat and dog against serious diseases is important when traveling internationally. You can discuss the following vaccinations with your veterinarian; however, they are not required.
Dogs may also be vaccinated against canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and adenovirus. A Bordetella vaccination is also recommended if your dog will be exposed to other animals or boarded before or after transport.
Cats may be vaccinated against feline leukemia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panaleukopenia, pneumonitis, and immunodeficiency.
Step 3: Blood Tests – Dogs Only
A rabies titer test is not required for dogs entering South Africa from any country; however, other blood tests are required.
All dogs must be tested by methods approved by the World Organization for Animal Health for the following diseases:
- Brucella canis
- Trypanosoma evansi
- Babesia gibsoni,
- Dirofilaria immitis
- Leishmania.
All tests must be done within 30 days of entering South Africa, and samples must be processed at approved laboratories. Government agencies can attest that one or more of these diseases is absent from their country for an exemption from testing for that disease.
Note that, if these tests are done incorrectly or if the results are not acceptable, your dog will be returned to the originating country.
Step 4: Import Permit
South Africa requires an application for import for entry or transit with the Director of Animal Health unless your dog or cat is entering from the following SADC member nations: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, or Zimbabwe. Pets entering from these countries will need proof of current rabies vaccination administered per step #2 and a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the exporting country.
Pet owners from other countries should apply well ahead of their visit for a permit to bring their pet into South Africa. An agent can facilitate the application process. Following receipt of the completed Import Application form, a Veterinary Import Permit will be issued and sent directly to you. The permit is good for 6 months from the date of issuance.
Step 5: Parasite Treatments
Dogs must be treated for internal and external parasites within 30 days of travel.
Step 6: Health Certificate
All countries worldwide include a pet health certificate in their import regulations, and South Africa is no exception. A licensed veterinarian in the origination country must complete the health certificate within 10 days of entry.
After issuance, the health certificate must be certified (endorsed) by a government veterinarian representing the agency in the origination country that is responsible for the import and export of live animals.
The health certificate must clearly identify your pet, including its microchip number. Your veterinarian must state that:
- Your pet is fit to travel.
- Your pet is not originating from an area that is under restrictions for rabies.
- Your pet is displaying no symptoms of any contagious diseases.
Other Information
Importing Puppies and Kittens to South Africa
Puppies and kittens under three months of age should not be vaccinated for rabies. However, kittens less than three months of age can only travel to South Africa if proof is provided that the mother of the kitten had been vaccinated for rabies more than 30 days before and less than 12 months before the birth of the kitten. Kittens must be vaccinated for rabies in South Africa at three months of age and proof of the vaccination must be presented to the South African Veterinary Authorities.
Puppies under eight months of age are not permitted import unless accompanied by their mother.
Related: More information on transporting a puppy.
Breeds Banned for Import to South Africa
South Africa prohibits the import of mixed breeds unless they are spayed or neutered. Pedigrees of most breeds are allowed. Proof of pedigree should be available.
Post Import Procedures | Quarantine
Upon arrival in South Africa, importers will present the Veterinary Certificate and the approved Import Permit to the quarantine officer. Cats with the original versions of a properly completed Import Permit and Veterinary Health Certificate will not be subject to quarantine.
Dogs will be subject to a minimum of 14 days of quarantine unless they are entering from the following countries and are accompanied by the properly completed paperwork:
United States, Canada, Argentina, Austria , Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Comoros, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Poland, Reunion, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
Entering South Africa
Entering South Africa by air
Dogs that are subject to quarantine on arrival in South Africa may only be imported via Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airports and will not be allowed to enter South Africa via any other airport or port of entry (including
land border posts). Cats are permitted to enter South Africa by land from Mozambique.
Dogs and cats that are being imported from countries not subject to quarantine can also be imported into South Africa via Durban International Airport and various land ports.
In cases where quarantine of animals is required due to a lack of proper paperwork, importers must contact the Quarantine Officer at the port of entry prior to arrival. The Quarantine Officer will arrange the reservation for accommodation at the Quarantine Station, and must complete the applicable part of the application form.
Transiting South Africa
All dogs and cats transiting by air to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia, Tanzania, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius, Malawi and the Seychelles must be accompanied by a South African veterinary in-transit permit for dogs/cats and must comply with steps 1-6. Pets transiting to other countries through South Africa can travel with an in-transit permit only if they remain in the secure area of the airport.
Your pet must fly to South Africa as air cargo unless it is a certified service animal serving a disabled passenger. Pets flying as air cargo will need to be transported in a pet crate compliant with International Air Transport Association requirements.
Related: Is Your Pet’s Crate IATA compliant?
Flights should be direct if the duration of the flight does not violate animal welfare laws. Layovers should be short and not involve a change in airline companies. If your pet’s itinerary involves a layover in the European Union, then additional requirements will apply.
Entering South Africa by ground
Dogs and cats that are moving in transit through South Africa by road to other African countries are considered normal imports and therefore need to comply with veterinary health requirements included in steps 1-6.
Short trips and returning to South Africa
If your dog or cat is leaving South Africa for countries not requiring quarantine for a holiday of less than 10 days, you can obtain a veterinary import permit. Blood tests for dogs are not required unless your destination country is known to be infected with any of the diseases listed in step 3. Microchip and proof of current rabies vaccination administered according to step 2 must be available.
All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the entry airport.
Further examination and treatment by a licensed veterinarian may be required at your expense if your dog or cat is not in apparent good health.
Whenever your pet travels to a foreign country like South Africa, it is always advisable to carry some form of identification indicating ownership of your pet.
Importing Other Pet Animals to South Africa
Rabbits and ferrets are not permitted to enter South Africa. Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents are not subject to requirements of rabies vaccination, but may have to meet other requirements and should have a health certificate and import permit to enter South Africa. Pet owners are strongly advised to seek further information from the relevant authority of their country and/or that of the country of destination.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Importers should verify that their pet is not protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is important if your pet is not a dog or cat, and it is even more important if it is a turtle or parrot. You will need to apply for additional permits if this is the case. Over 180 countries participate in and enforce CITES regulations.
Related: Search the CITES database or Search the Species+ database
Related: Read more about CITES
Have Questions About Importing Your Pet to South Africa?
Have a comment about importing a pet to South Africa? Post it below and we will respond. You can also reach out by posting to our Blog, X (Twitter), Facebook, or Email or follow our activities on Instagram and TikTok.
Please note that the accuracy of comments made by Facebook users other than Pet Travel has not been verified. We do not endorse any person or company that may offer transport services through posts to this webpage.
Current Information
To the best of our ability, we ensure that recommendations given on PetTravel.com reflect the current regulations. We cannot predict how a given country may enforce these regulations. Noncompliance may result in the need to make arrangements to put your pet into quarantine at your expense, return your pet to the country of origin, or euthanize your pet. We suggest that you minimize the disruptions that may occur by following South Africa pet import requirements.
Leave a Reply