IMPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR CATS AND DOGS TO SOUTH AFRICA
General
Cats entering South Africa are not Quarantined on arrival but will require the following:
Import Permit for entry to South Africa
Properly completed Health certificate completed by the Vet and countersigned by a government vet
Dogs and cats must have a valid rabies vaccination. In the case of primary (first) rabies vaccination the vaccination must be given not more than 12 months and not less than 30 days before the date of import. In the case of a booster rabies vaccination the vaccination must be given not more than 12 months before the date of import.
All dogs and cats imported into South Africa must be permanently identified with a microchip (tattoos will not be accepted).
Vaccination against rabies is not required for cats/dogs imported from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland but vaccination against rabies for cats/dogs imported from these countries is advised. This will ensure that the cat/dog has enough immunity against rabies on arrival in South Africa to prevent it from contracting rabies in South Africa.
Puppies/Kittens under three months of age do not need to be vaccinated for rabies. But puppies/kittens less than 3 months of age can only travel to South Africa if the dam/queen of the puppy/kitten has been vaccinated for rabies more than 30 days before and less than 12 months before the birth of the puppy/kitten. These puppies/kittens must be vaccinated for rabies after arrival in South Africa at 3 months of age and proof of the vaccination must be presented to the South African Veterinary Authorities.
Pets from Neighboring Countries not including Mozambique
Pets coming into South Africa from the following Neighboring countries (Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Namibia) do not require an Import Permit or Blood test but do require a Valid Rabies Vaccination older than 30 Days but not older than 12 months.
Pets also require a health certificate completed by the Vet and Countersigned by a government vet, before the Pets may enter South Africa
This Health certificate is only valid for 7 Days, from the date the Vet completes the document.
Pets entering South Africa from Neighboring Countries can enter thru Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town Airports and the Government vet would have to clear the Pets before they can be released from the Airport
Pets from Malawi
Pets coming into South Africa from Malawi, do not require an Import Permit or Blood tests for entry into South Africa
Pets require a Valid Rabies Vaccination older than 30 Days but not older than 12 months, and a health certificate completed by the Vet and Counter signed by the Government vet, the Health certificate is only valid for 10 Days from the Date the Vet completes the Health certificate
Pets entering South Africa from Malawi can enter thru Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town Airports and the Government vet would have to clear the Pets before they can be released from the Airport
Pets from Mozambique
Dogs entering South Africa from Mozambique do require an Import Permit, and will be subjected to Quarantine for 14 days which is only available in Johannesburg or Cape Town
Dogs coming from Mozambique can only arrive in South Africa by Air and cannot be driven over the border
Before dogs enter South Africa, they would have to have the following blood tests completed and sent to an approved Laboratory for testing via the testing methods:
Brucella Canis - Serum agglutination / Rapid slide agglutination test
Trypanosoma Evansi – Card agglutination test and giemsa blood smear
Babesia Gibsoni – Immunoflourescene antibody test & Giemsa blood smear
Dirofilaria Immitis – Microfilaria filtration test
Leishmania - Indirect fluorescent antibody (preferred test)
or ELISA
or Direct agglutination test
or Western blot/membrane immunoassay
Cats from Mozambique do require an Import Permit, Valid Rabies vaccination older than 30 Days but not more than 12 months, and a Health certificate completed by a Vet and countersigned by a Government vet which is only valid for 7 days from the date the Vet completes the health certificate
Dogs entering South Africa from the following countries do not require Quarantine in South Africa:
Europe.
Dogs entering South Africa from the following countries do not require Quarantine in South Africa:
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland , Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland , UK, Norway, Hungry, Bulgaria and Romania.
North America
Canada and United States of America
Australasia
Australia and New Zealand
Africa
Botswana, Comoros, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Reunion.
Asia
Israel
South America
Argentina
The Pets must however have a valid import permit and a correctly completed health certificate, signed and stamped by a government veterinarian of the exporting country.
The Dogs also require the following blood tests with the prescribed testing methods completed by an approved Laboratory:
Brucella canis serum agglutination / rapid slide agglutination test
Trypanosoma evansi card agglutination test and giemsa blood smear
Babesia Gibsoni Immunoflourescence antibody test & giemsa blood smear
Dirofilaria immitis microfilarial filtration test.