For those considering relocating with their beloved pets to this remarkable country, it's essential to understand the regulations and procedures involved in pet transport.
At Pets by Plane, our job is to take the strain out of the international travel process for you and your pet and let you get on with all the other things you need to do.
We can help manage your pet's flight from the UK to South Africa from start to finish.
From the UK, we can transport pets directly into Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT). Durban (DUR) also accepts pets however there are no direct flights from the UK and a transit flight would be required via Doha.
Planning your pets travel to South Africa takes around 3 months for Dogs and around 1 month for cats. Both Dogs and Cats are required to apply for an import permit however the timescales for both differ significantly and whilst cats permits can be issued in around 2 weeks, the current time frame is 2 months for dogs!
Dogs also require blood tests, but only within 30 days of departure, therefore it is strongly advised to wait for the permit to be issued before having the blood drawn, which is why the process is lenghy.
Flight costs are based on the size of your pet's travel crate, which is determined by their measurements. This ensures your pet travels comfortably, safely and in compliance with IATA and airline regulations.
There are further costs to consider, such as the import permit, vet inspection and customs fees due upon arrival, all of which can be included as an option in our quote.
For a full quote and price breakdown, please complete a quote form and one of our team will be in touch shortly!
All pets must have a Rabies vaccine before travelling to South Africa.
Whilst not an entry requirement it is strongly advised that dogs be vaccinated against DHPP, Lepto and Kennel Cough and cats for FVRCP.
It is worth noting that if your pet is then flying to their final destination internally, these vaccines are all required by airlines within South Africa for travel.
All pets that board with us before departure will need to have the above vaccinations as a mandatory requirement.
The good news is that there are no blood tests required for Cats before being exported; however, for Dogs, there are a total of 7 blood tests that are required, all of which must be within 30 days of departure.
There are no tests required for prior to import.
To enter SouthAfrica, you will require an import permit, as well as an Export Health Certificate completed within 10 days of departure.
This must be completed by an Official Vet (OV) who ensures that your pet meets the entry requirements before the final sign-off. This then accompanies your pet on their journey, which will ensure they are permitted to enter the country without any delays!
We include the option for our airport vets to complete this at the airport before departure.
There are no quarantine requirements for pets entering South Africa from the UK provided all the entry criteria are met.
British Airways and Emirates offer direct flights from London to Dubai (DXB) every day of the year. To Abu Dhabi, Etihad have daily departures, and at peak travel periods British Airways also offer a direct flight.
We can also provide more economical transit flights, via Qatar (Qatar Airlines) or Europe (KLM, Lufthansa).
These carriers, offer multiple daily departure locations from Edinburgh and Glasgow in the North to Gatwick and Heathrow in the South.
Each airline has different restrictions on the pets they carry, therefore when provided with a quote we will select the best option for you and your pet!
Find out more on our airline page.
Provided the correct measures are put in place, then yes, we can transport all snub-nosed pets to South Africa, but this may only be at specific times of the year when temperatures are lower.
Only 5% of snub-nosed pets suffer from BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airways Syndrome), therefore with the correct preparation we can ship Bulldogs, Pugs and many more snub nosed breeds safely to the South Africa.
Find out more on our BOAS (Snub Nosed) page.
Dogo Argentinos, Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas and American Pit Bulls
