Emigrating from South Africa with your pets: costs, rules & timelines
Your dog or cat can come — but the UK and Australia are worlds apart on cost and lead time.
For a lot of South African families, the move isn't really happening until they know the dog or cat is coming too. The good news: it's almost always possible. The reality: cost and lead time vary enormously by destination, and Australia is in a different league from the UK. Plan this early — it's one of the longest-lead items of the whole move.
The two big variables: rabies and quarantine
Every destination's pet rules come down to managing rabies risk. The UK and EU have a relatively quick, well-trodden process. Australia and New Zealand are far stricter — import permits, specific testing windows, and mandatory quarantine on arrival — which is why their timelines and costs balloon.
Moving a pet to the UK
- Microchip, rabies vaccination, and the required blood-test/waiting periods.
- An Animal Health Certificate (or the relevant export paperwork) close to travel.
- Preparation is typically measured in weeks to a few months — the fastest of the common corridors.
- Indicative cost from South Africa generally runs into the tens of thousands of rand depending on the animal's size and the service level.
Moving a pet to Australia (start 6+ months ahead)
Australia requires an import permit, a strict sequence of rabies titre testing and waiting periods, and a stay in the government quarantine facility on arrival. Specialists advise planning your pet's move 6–7 months out, and the all-in cost can run much higher than the UK — for larger dogs to Australia it can exceed six figures in rand once quarantine and freight are included.
These ranges move with airline rates, your pet's size and the service level. Get a written quote from a reputable SA pet-relocation specialist (e.g. an IPATA member) for your exact animal and dates before you budget — and verify the import rules on the destination's official site.
How to plan it (and fit it into your budget)
- Decide early — the testing windows mean a late start can delay your whole family's move.
- Get 2–3 written quotes; check whether it's door-to-door or 'light touch'.
- Book the pet's travel around your own flights and your landing plan.
- Add it to your overall cost-to-leave — our estimator includes pet relocation as a toggle so you can see it against the full picture.
Whichever destination you choose, model the full move with the cost-to-leave estimator (flip on the pet-relocation option), and check the destination guide — the UK and Australia pages set out the rest of the costs around it.
Frequently asked
How much does it cost to take a pet from South Africa to the UK?
It typically runs into the tens of thousands of rand, depending on your pet's size, the airline and whether you use a full door-to-door service. The UK process is faster and cheaper than Australia's because there's no mandatory quarantine. Get a written quote from a specialist for an exact figure.
How long does it take to move a pet to Australia from South Africa?
Plan 6–7 months. Australia requires an import permit, a strict rabies-testing and waiting sequence, and mandatory quarantine on arrival — all of which make it the longest and most expensive of the common destinations. Start before almost anything else in your move.
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Educational information only — not financial, tax, legal or migration advice.