🇿🇦 Pet Import to South Africa

South Africa requires an advance import permit from the national veterinary authority before a dog or cat can travel, along with an ISO microchip, current rabies vaccination, and a veterinary health certificate issued close to departure. No standard quarantine period applies to pets with complete documentation, but the import permit process can take several weeks and must be finalized before the animal departs its origin country. Pets from countries without recognized rabies control may face additional titer testing requirements. The most common failure point is booking travel before the import permit is issued, which results in the animal being refused boarding.