1. Export Requirements
   1. General rules and regulation
   2. Absolute Don'ts
   3. Definite Do's
2. Import / Transit Requirements into South Africa
   1. from African countries
   2. from other countries (in the end add link to "Detailed description for pets entering South Africa")
   3. Transiting trough South Africa
   4. Detailed description for pets entering South Africa

Export Requirements:

General Rules and Regulation...

• Bear in mind that every country has its own rules and regulations. Global Paws will advise you what requirements you have to meet to be able to export your pet.
• Generally all international destinations require a valid rabies vaccination for travel. Valid means that the vaccination must have been given no more than one year and no less than thirty days before the intended travel date.
• We suggest that you check your pet's vaccination certificate in good time, so as to ensure that there will be no problems when the time comes for your pet to travel.
• It is also important for your pet's health to keep the standard canine or feline vaccinations up to date. In addition, should your pet require boarding before they travel all reputable kennels would insist that you produce a valid vaccinations certificate along with a kennel cough vaccination.
• Most countries require an import permit that we can obtain on your behalf. Import permit have to be in English or have to be translated by an official translator.
• We recommend that you microchip your pet even if it might not be a requirement at your intended destination.
• Certain destinations require government laboratory blood testing for various diseases. Your consultant will advise on these specific details.
• Your pet's original documentation must travel with your pet, attached to its travel box.

Absolute Don'ts:

• Microchipping cannot be done after the rabies vaccination, unless it is done on the same day.
• Do not draw blood for the TITRE rabies blood test less than 30 days after the last rabies vaccination.
• Do not vaccinate the pet against rabies at least 30 days before its travel.
• For EU countries do not issue a health certificate earlier than 90 days after blood was drawn for TITRE rabies blood test.
• Do not sign the health certificate in the State Vet's designated area (marked - ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY).
• Do not go for the State Vet documentation endorsement if you still waiting for the import permit (if required).

Definite Do's:

• Implant the microchip first and only then vaccinate against rabies.
• Wait at least 30 days from last rabies vaccination before you take a blood sample from the pet for its TITRE rabies blood test.
• Use one colour pen (black) when filling in the health certificate.
• Global Paws' clients will be provided with a filled in/completed health certificate. Please use this one.
• Always stamp and sign the health certificate in the appropriate place. Please add your SAVC number.
• Only sign the health certificate within the required time frame, generally a health certificate is valid for 10 days prior to the pet's departure. The State Vet can only do his endorsement on the original documentation, the only exception is on import permits, often a copy of the import permit is sufficient.

Import Requirements - pets into or via South Africa:

Requirements for pets entering South Africa from African counties:

Cats and dogs entering from countries Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi do not need an import permit. These dogs and cats need a health certificate that certifies that the dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies in the last 12 months but more than 30 days before the date of departure. The cats and dogs need to have a health check within 7 days of export.

Cats and dogs entering from Mozambique need a veterinary import permit. The dogs need to have the necessary blood tests (see testing procedure below) done prior to export and must be flown from Mozambique to either Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airports were the dogs will be placed in Quarantine for 14 days and will be re tested according to the normal protocol for dogs in quarantine. The dogs may not enter South Africa by road. An import permit is needed to bring cats into South Africa from Mozambique but cats can enter South Africa by road and do not need to be placed into quarantine.

Cats and dogs from other African Countries:

Dogs must have a veterinary import permit and cannot enter by road via one of our neighbouring countries. The dogs need to have the necessary blood tests (see testing procedure below) done prior to export and must be flown to either Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airports were the dogs will be quarantined for 14 days and will be re tested according to the normal protocol for dogs in quarantine.

Cats from other African countries need a veterinary import permit and a veterinary health certificate that has been stamped and signed by a certifying veterinarian in the country of origin. This must accompany the cats. Cats must also have had a rabies vaccination less then a year but more than 30 days before the date of export. These cats can enter South Africa by road.

Requirements for pets entering South Africa from other counties (not listed above):

Animals entering SA from other countries require an import permit, a valid rabies vaccination, microchip and a South African Health Certificate (including blood tests for 5 diseases), which must be completed by your local vet and must also be stamped and signed by the Government Vet in the country of origin within 10 days of travel to South Africa. (Please see further description below).

Requirements for pets transiting through South Africa.

Dogs and Cats in Transit through South Africa to other African Countries:

Dogs and Cats that are moving in transit through South Africa by road to other African countries are considered as normal imports and therefore need to comply with South Africa's veterinary health requirements. These animals need to have a veterinary import permit from South Africa. The dogs need to have the necessary blood tests (see testing procedure below) done prior to export.

All dogs and cats travelling in transit by air to SADC countries must be accompanied by a South African veterinary intransit permit for dogs/cats and must comply with the South African import health requirements for dogs/cats.

All dogs/cats travelling by air to countries other than the countries listed as SADC countries need not conform to the South African import health requirements for dogs/cats, provided these dogs/cats do not leave the customs area of the international airport in South Africa. These dogs/cats need to be accompanied by a standard South African veterinary intransit permit.

If a dog or cat is travelling intransit from Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho or Malawi via South Africa to another country the dog or cat does not need to have an intransit permit from South Africa. The dog or cat must however comply with the requirements as indicated above.

Further descriptions for pets entering South Africa:

Puppies and kittens under the age of 12 weeks are allowed to travel on their mother's valid rabies vaccination.

Microchip must be able to be read by an ISO 11784 or ISO 11785 scanners.

Rabies vaccination. Your pet must have a valid rabies vaccination; by valid we mean that the vaccination must have been given no more than one year and no less than thirty days before travel. The vaccination date and type of vaccine used must be entered on to the health certificate in the space provided and the vaccination certificate (booklet) must be produced.

Blood tests required for dogs. Before dogs can be imported the dog needs to be certified free from the following five diseases by means of blood tests. The sample of the blood has to be taken within 30 days of the pet's departure.

Disease:

1. Brucella canis
2. Trypanosoma evansi
3. Babesia gibsoni
4. Dirofilaria immitis
5. Leishmania

• What if the exporting country is free of one or more diseases? If the Veterinary Authorities of the exporting country can certify that the exporting country is free from one or more of the above mentioned five diseases then the dogs exported to South Africa do not need to have blood tests done for the disease that the exporting country is free from. Dogs from EU countries have to be tested for all 5 diseases regardless if the country is free or not.
• Where must the blood tests be performed? The dog's blood can either be tested in the country of origin or the blood sample can be sent to South Africa for testing.
• Sending samples of blood to South Africa for testing. If the samples need to be sent to South Africa, these must be sent by air, accompanied by a copy of the OVI master import permit for the import of diagnostic specimen, under cover of an air waybill/courier waybill for testing.
  Please note for dogs that some of the blood tests are performed only on a Thursday. It is therefore recommended that samples are sent to arrive at the latest on a Wednesday. If samples arrive later, the tests will only be done the following Thursday.

Quarantine upon arrival. Cats entering South Africa do NOT require quarantine. Dogs entering South Africa from certain countries will be required to spend up to 14 days in quarantine. Please check with our offices for listed countries.

If your dog is subject to quarantine upon arrival please note the points below:

1. All blood test will be repeated while your dogs are in the quarantine, so please make sure that your pets do not leave the country of origin without correct or full records of required documentation.
2. Your Global Paws' consultant will advise exactly what needs to be done. Please send us all copies of the required documentation so we can endorse them before your pet's departure.
3. Please be aware that if your dog test positive while in quarantine, then additional charges will be incurred for additional test/s or treatments. If your dog's disease is not treatable your dog could be destroyed.
4. Please do your best to time your pets for arrival in South Africa on Mondays or the latest Tuesdays. The reason for this is that blood samples are taken in Quarantine on Wednesday mornings, so if all the test comes back negative you dog/s are more likely to be released from Quarantine Station on the Friday following.

Import permit. Please note that cats and dogs have separate permits. A maximum of 3 pets of a single species can be entered on one import permit.

• Non-quarantine import permits can be obtained within one week and are valid for 6 months from date of issue.
• In Transit permits are valid for 3 months from date of issue.
• Quarantine import permits require at least 5 - 7 weeks to obtain and once issued are valid for 2 weeks only. Please note that the quarantine station does get fully booked specially during Festive of Seasons and Global Paws cannot be held responsible for that).

Health Certificate (South African). Please note that cats and dogs have separate health clearances. A maximum of 3 pets of a single species can be entered on one health certificate.

Only South African health certificate (2 pages for cats, 4 pages for dogs) will be accepted by the South African Government Vet who inspects the papers on arrival in South Africa.

The final health certificate must be done WITHIN 10 days of your pet(s) arrival in South Africa. After your vet has completed this form, it must be STAMPED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNMENT VET OF THE EXPORTING COUNTRY. This health certificate will not be acceptable without the Government Vets signature and stamp.

If this health certificate has not been completed correctly, or the original does not arrive with the animals, the animals will not be allowed entry into SA and could be sent back to the country of origin!

Travel as Manifest Cargo. All animals entering S.A. must do so as manifest (booked) cargo. THEY MAY NOT enter as excess luggage. If they arrive as excess luggage they will be sent back to the country of origin.