Pet Transport from Botswana to Canada
Getting a pet from Botswana to Canada is a step by step process, and each stage has its own timing. Set aside roughly 10-14 weeks for this route and keep a close eye on the sequencing. Pets with correct documentation skip quarantine entirely. Start with the …
The Botswana to Canada import process
Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.
Responsible: Your vet in Botswana.
Responsible: You or your agent.
Responsible: You or your agent.
Responsible: You or a pet transport agent.
Responsible: DVS-registered vet.
Responsible: CFIA and CBSA.
What your pet needs to enter Canada
Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.
What this route typically costs
Critical points
Botswana's spot on CFIA's high-risk list, last updated 13 March 2025, means a 7-month age floor, a mandatory microchip-before-vaccination rule and entry restricted to five designated Canadian airports. None of this applies to Barbados, which isn't on the list.
There is no direct flight between Botswana and Canada. Every pet booking runs through Ethiopian Airlines' Addis Ababa hub, a genuinely different routing from the Johannesburg-to-London connection Botswana's UK-bound pets typically use. Confirm live animal acceptance on both legs before committing to dates.
Botswana's DVS export permit and CFIA's import permit are two separate applications running in parallel, not one process. Both need their own lead time, and neither substitutes for the other.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
Canada import rules, explained
Practical tips for this move
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.