Importation of pets from South Africa

Hi Kim

I am in RSA at the moment moving to Seychelles in 2 or so months.
I am busy with the export process of my 3 yorkies,  Got a few quotes - very expensive

If you know companies I can contact please forward.

thanks
Sanette

Dear Sanette

I used Paws Travel Resort located in Midrand together with Aeropets - they handled everything from the import permits, vacinations required etc etc - Paws Resort which does the vacinations, impoert permits, etc cost around R7500.00, while Aeropets cost approx. R13000.00 which includes the air ticket, the travel box etc - if you want more info you can contact me directly on ***
Kind regards
Kim

Good Day

Below please find the document for importation of Cats and Dogs to Seychelle

[b]IMPORTATION OF CATS AND DOGS[/b]
(Issued in accordance with the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act 2014)
Seychelles has a highly favourable animal health status and is free of a number of diseases of cats and
dogs. In order to protect this status, any animal that is being imported into the Republic of Seychelles
must undergo a period of quarantine upon arrival in the country. This quarantine period allows the
Veterinary Services to monitor the health and become aware of any disease concerns of any animal prior
to release. The length of the quarantine period is determined by the animal(s)' health and Rabies status
of the country of origin.
A Veterinary Import Permit is a MUST for all cats and dogs entering the Seychelles. A formal
application for a Veterinary Import Permit should be made in writing to the following address:
Chief Executive Officer
National Biosecurity Agency
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
P.O. Box 464,
Victoria, Mahé,
Seychelles
Tel: (+248) 4324 000
Email : [email protected]
1. The Application
1.1 The attached application form should be completed and must contain the owner`s address, the
month which the animal is intended to be imported, the animal particulars (species, breed, sex,
age, name, description and microchip number) and vaccination records against the following
diseases:
Animal Types of Vaccine
species
Cat Rabies* Feline panleucopenia Feline rhinotracheitis Feline calicivirus
Canine Infectious
Dog Rabies* Canine distemper Canine hepatitis Leptospirosis parvovirus
All vaccinations must be done not less than two (2) weeks prior to the date of departure.
*The Rabies vaccination is not mandatory for animals originating from Rabies free countries but
subject to conditions in clause 6.1 below.
*For rabies vaccination, please refer to clause 5.0 below.
2. Eligibility
2.0 Cat/dog must be at least sixteen (16) weeks of age.
2.1 There is no restriction in the type of dog or cat breeds that can enter the country, however, dogs of
certain breeds and their crosses (as per the attached list in annex 1), should be surgically sterilized
prior to entry into the country. Copy of the sterilization certificate signed by a qualified Veterinary
Surgeon and endorsed by an official Veterinarian, must be produced upon application of the
Veterinary Import Permit. The original of this document MUST accompany the animal upon arrival.
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3. Veterinary Import Permit
3.0 Once the Veterinary Services receives all the necessary information, the permit shall be issued within
7 working days with a validity of one (1) month from the date of the intended arrival.
3.1 Upon receipt of the Veterinary Import Permit, the client should request for an Import Permit from
the Ministry of Finance to facilitate clearing of the animal upon arrival. Please bear in mind that there
are Custom and Air Seychelles handling fee to be paid at the airport upon arrival. These are
additional and must be settled separately to veterinary fees.
4. Language and Documents
All documents produced should be in either in English and or French. All documents not in these two
languages should be translated into English or French, signed and stamped by the relevant Veterinary
Authority of the Exporting Country.
5. Rabies
Rabies has never been reported in the Seychelles and no routine vaccination against Rabies is carried out but
Seychelles is still not yet on the list of internationally recognized Rabies-free countries. Therefore it is
advisable, that for all owners who plan to repatriate their animals back to the country of origin, to have the
animals vaccinated and tested against rabies prior to entry into Seychelles.
5.1 Rabies free countries
Animals originating from Rabies Free countries travelling on a scheduled direct flight to the Seychelles,
vaccination against Rabies is not mandatory but the animal must come accompanied with an official
attestation stating that no cases of rabies have been reported in the country of origin during the past six months
prior to export.
5.2 Rabies affected countries
Animals originating from Rabies affected countries must show proof of valid vaccination record and
the owner must attach the RNATT test results upon application for an import permit. (7.2).
[Minimum two (2) weeks quarantine for cats and dogs originating from rabies free countries on
condition that:]
6. Additional test Dogs
Before dogs can be imported the dog needs to be certified free from the following five diseases by
means of blood tests. The tests should be performed in accredited lab and according to the OIE
manual.
Disease
 Brucella canis
 Trypanosoma evansi
 Babesia gibsoni
 Leishmania
 Erlichia canis
6.0 .If the Veterinary Authorities of the exporting country can certify that the exporting
country is free from one or more of the above mentioned diseases, then the dogs exported
to Seychelles do not need to have blood tests done for the disease that the exporting
country is free from.
6.1 Countries free from the above stated diseases should provide an endorsed attestation
from the Official Veterinarian.
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6.2 The Veterinary Services require the following test or tests to be used for the above
mentioned five diseases
Brucella canis serum agglutination / rapid slide agglutination test
Trypanosoma evansi card agglutination test and giemsa blood smear
Babesia Gibsoni Immunoflourescence antibody test & giemsa blood smear
Leishmaniosis Indirect fluorescent antibody
or ELISA
or Direct agglutination test
or Western blot/membrane immunoassay
Erlichia canis Indirect fluorescent antibody test
7. Post Arrival Quarantine
By law, ALL animals entering the Seychelles are subjected to quarantine. A minimum post arrival
quarantine of 14 days will be imposed on ALL animals independently of the country Rabies status.
There is only one facility on Mahé for the quarantine of imported pets and it is advisable to book
well in advance.
Before a quarantine booking can be confirmed, the importer must sign an indemnity form. Copies
of the indemnity form will be attached to the permit application. The original signed indemnity form
needs to be handed in at the quarantine station while a scanned copy is emailed during application.
Bookings at the quarantine stations will only be confirmed on receipt of the signed indemnity form.
Animals belonging to the same owner can be housed in the same kennel if the owner wishes to do
so. Please bear in mind that occupation of extra kennel carries an additional fee.
7.0 Rabies free countries
Minimum two (2) weeks quarantine but the cat/dog must have been continuously residing in
the exporting country for the past of six (06) months prior to export or since birth (for animals
younger than six months
The cat/dog is accompanied with an official certificate stating that no cases of rabies have been
recorded in the County/Province/Locality of origin during the past six (6) months prior to
export.
7.1 Rabies affected countries
Minimum two (2) weeks quarantine, but subject to the following conditions:
7.1.0The cat/dog must have a valid rabies vaccination record. The rabies vaccination must have
been done with an inactivated vaccine when at least three (3) months of age. In the case of a
booster vaccination against rabies, that should be done thirty (30) days and no more than twelve
(12) months prior to export.
7.1.1The cat/dog must be accompanied by a Rabies Neutralization Antibody Titre Test with
result > 0.5 IU. The test must have been performed at least one month after the primo vaccination
and not more than six (6) months prior to departure.
7.1.2 The blood for the RNATT must be drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
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7.1.3 The cat/dog will be eligible for travel ONLY 3 MONTHS after the blood has been drawn
for testing. That is providing the RNATT is > 0.5 IU.
7.1.4 A copy of the Rabies vaccination certificate and the RNATT result must be provided in
the application for the import permit
N.B:
If the cat/dog does not meet the conditions stated above, it will have to undergo a
minimum six (6) months post arrival quarantine or returned to the country of origin at
the importer's expense.
8. Animal arrivals
No animal should be shipped unless shippers have confirmation in writing that import is permitted and the
conditions stated on Seychelles Veterinary Import Permit have been complied with.
Reconfirmation of quarantine booking should be done at least 2 weeks prior to arrival. Confirmation
of arrival should be done 24 hours prior to entry. This facilitates quarantine booking arrangement and
avoids overbooking of the kennels at any one time.
All animals must travel as manifest cargo, preferably by a direct flight or an approved scheduled flight
and must not make contact with any other animals at any point en route.
All animals must be transported in a container in accordance to the IATA's regulations on the
transportation of live animals.
Arrangement is made for animals to be collected at the airport by a Veterinary Officer. Please bear in mind
that there are a number of formalities that must be completed before the animal(s) can be taken to the
quarantine station and it is always preferable that the owner or someone responsible for the animal(s) be
present at the time as there are handling fees that need settling at cargo/custom offices.
Staff will always endeavour to get the animal(s) to the station in the shortest time practicable.
9. Visiting hours and feeding during quarantine
Clients can visit and interact with their animals during their stay in quarantine. Visiting hours: 09:00 –
18:00 hours daily.
The owner must provide food for the animals during their stay in quarantine.
Please bear in mind that NO animal is allowed outside the quarantine building at any given time. The
animals are allocated a special area inside the building itself where they can be walked. Should an owner
have any particular concern regarding the voiding patterns of their animal (s), this should be discussed
with the Veterinary Officer in charge.
Visits outside the above stated visiting hours are strictly prohibited. Should an owner be unable to visit
VS/REG/05/11/01
his/her animal during the designated visiting hours, he/she must liaise with the Veterinary Officer in
charge and/or the kennel staff, who might be able to make special arrangements for the feeding of his/her
animal.
Please bear in mind that only owners and authorized persons are allowed at the quarantine
station. Visits are limited to only 2 visitors per animal or animals at any one time.
10. Veterinary attendance for animals whilst in quarantine
Immediately upon arrival, a veterinary officer will examine the animal and it will be closely monitored
throughout its stay at the quarantine station. Veterinary officers only investigate exotic disease
symptoms.
Please note that veterinary bills for any treatment undertaken are not included in the quarantine fees and
bears an additional cost.
In the event that an animal requires urgent veterinary attention, the Veterinary Services will make every
attempt to contact the owner before administering any medication.
11. Medicating animals whilst in Quarantine
The importation of chronically ill animals is strongly discouraged.
If your pet has any veterinary problems or requires medication (e g: diabetes/ epilepsy) please notify the
Veterinary Services so that authorization can granted for the importation of such drugs that may not be
available locally.
The Veterinary Services only provide basic care to healthy animals, and in some cases, basic medication
to those with stable illnesses.
Please note: The Small Animal Clinic services are provided during the span of core hours ( 08:00 –
16:00) Owners of animals who require the administration of therapeutics at regular intervals e.g.:
epileptic/diabetic animals should discuss alternative treatment intervals prior to importation and will
incur additional costs.
12. Stress
Owners should take into account of the age and actual health condition of their animals as well as travel
and climatic stress before deciding to export their dogs/cats to Seychelles.
N.B: The Veterinary Services will not be held liable to any loss of any form due to the above
mentioned.
In the unfortunate event that an animal happens to die en route, necessary arrangement will be made by
the Veterinary Services to dispose of the body according to the policies in place.
A post mortem examination may be carried out at the request of the owner but is not mandatory.
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13. Fees
Quarantine fee is SR. 1,000.00 for a two (2) week period only, which consists of the Import Permit,
Collection and Transportation fee and kennelling fee. For animals of the same owner, there will be an
extra SR. 250 per kennel for the two weeks. Should there be an extension in the quarantine period, for
any reason whatsoever, there is an additional fee of SR500 per week (or SR75 per day) for any animal.
All importers having had their animal travelled as manifest cargo must settle all fees at the cargo
department and proof of payment must be shown prior to quarantine release.
Note: If an animal is due for release on a weekend or public holiday please ensure that all fees due are
settled on a business day prior, as payment cannot be taken on a weekend.
14. Canine Heartworm
Please note that heartworm disease of dogs is endemic in Seychelles. Heartworm is caused by the
microorganism, Dirofilaria immitis and is spread by mosquitoes. The larvae migrate to the heart and
develop into worms over a period of about 6 months. No testing or treatment is required for importation
into Seychelles but it is strongly advisable to know the heartworm status of your dog before any
prevention can be initiated.
Drug is available to prevent heartworm disease at the Veterinary Clinic. For dogs that have never been
exposed to heartworm, there is at least a four months window during which preventative treatment can
be safely started. For most dogs there is no need for treatment during quarantine (unless the dog is
undergoing six (6) months quarantine.)
15. Animal departures
Owners are responsible for the collection of their animals from the Quarantine station at the end of the
quarantine period. Please bear in mind that it is the responsibility of the owner to make all the travelling
arrangement for their animal(s) post quarantine.
If the owner is unable to pick up his/her animal on their release date, he/she must contact the station
prior to the specified release date and inform the Veterinary Officer in charge.
All of these conditions must be clearly understood prior to importing an animal into the Seychelles.
Failure to comply will result in the return of the animal to country of origin or worst be euthanized, all
at the owner's cost. .
For clarifications, clients are advised to contact the Veterinary Office at Union Vale on Telephone
Number (+248 4285950).
Emails can also be sent to Veterinary Officer, Dr. Maria Tirant: [email protected] and cc to Principal
Veterinary Officer, Dr. Jimmy Melanie: [email protected] ).
VS/REG/05/11/01
Annex 1
List of Breeds(and their crosses)
to be Sterilized
A
 Akita Inu
 Alangu Mastiff
 Alano Español
 Alsatian
 American Pit Bull Terrier
 American Staffordshire Terrier
 Argentine Dogo
B
 Bedlington Terrier
 Boston Terrier
 Bully Kutta
 Bulldog
 Bullmastiff
 Boerboel
 Belgian Shepherd
C
 Cane Corso
D
 Doberman
 Dogue de Bordeaux
 Dogo Sardesco
E
 English Mastiff
F
 Fila Brasileiro
 French Bulldog
G
 German Shepherd
 Great Dane
 Gull Dong
 Gull Terr
I
 Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier
K
 Korea Jindo Dog
L
 Lottatore Brindisino
M
 Malinois
N
 Neapolitan Mastiff
P
 Perro de Presa Canario (Canary Dog)
 Perro de Presa Mallorquin (Ca de Bou)
R
 Rottweiler
 Ridgeback
S
 Shar Pei
 Staffordshire B

Also onthe Seychelles side you need a Clearing Agent - Express Logistics handles pets and their cost is about Rs 2000  and then the Seychelles vet will be about Rs 1000 (rupees)

Hi Kim

Thank you lots, will contact them now.