Immigrating to South Africa can be less stressful if you plan ahead. Here are some tips for handling your pets so you have one less thing to worry about. The movement of pets into South Africa is strictly controlled. No matter where you are coming from, you should contact a pet travel service and notify your vet. South Africa requires an import travel permit. Pet travel services can offer a door to door service and know which airlines are pet friendly. They can advise you on the proper travel crate or box, and what health records and test results you will need. They specialize in making sure animals travel to the highest ethical and safety standards. You can go online and get a quote from these professional services. They all recommend having you pet micro chipped, getting the rabies vaccine(which needs to be done months in advance), holding complete health records, and knowing the travel guidelines.

I found a nice site called www.globalpaws.co.za offering peace of mind and a wealth of industry knowledge. You can also buy travel collars that emit a stress relieving pheromone for the duration of the trip. You will need a proper crate and need to know you pets weight and the crate dimensions. Contact : Department of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries Postal Address: Private Bag X138, Pretoria, 0001 Delpen Building, c/o Annie Botha and Union Street, Riviera, 0084 Tel: +27 12 319 7514 for the latest pet travel regulations into South Africa. We here at New World Immigration would be happy to put you in touch with great pet travel providers. Give us a call.