Lead time needed
10-14 weeks
Quarantine
None
Route complexity
High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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CA
BW

Pet Transport from Canada to Botswana

If you are relocating a pet from Canada to Botswana, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Set aside roughly 10-14 weeks for this route and keep a close eye on the sequencing. Pets with correct documentation skip quarantine entirely. Use the …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from Canada to Botswana typically takes around 10-14 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
Regulations checked
Step by step

The Canada to Botswana import process

Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.

1
At least 30 days before the planned entry date, plus lead time for the DVS import permit.
Confirm the ISO microchip is implanted, then administer the rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Your vet in Canada.

2
Around 3 weeks' processing reported; apply as early as realistically possible.
Apply to Botswana's DVS for the import permit.

Responsible: You or your agent.

3
Before booking anything else.
Check the breed restriction if you own a wolf-dog hybrid, Savannah or Bengal cat.

Responsible: You, with DVS confirmation.

4
6-8 weeks before travel.
Book Ethiopian Airlines' Toronto to Gaborone connection via Addis Ababa.

Responsible: You or a pet transport agent.

5
Within 10 days of travel.
Collect the CFIA-accredited vet's health certificate, reformatted to DVS's model, within 10 days of travel.

Responsible: CFIA-accredited vet in Canada.

6
Day of arrival.
Arrive at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, the only approved port of entry.

Responsible: DVS.

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Botswana

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
Required. An ISO 11784/11785 microchip must be fitted before entry documentation …
Rabies vaccination
Required for cats and dogs over 3 months of age, with an inactivated vaccine, …
Rabies titre test
Not published as a requirement for a personal pet import. Botswana's own import …
Quarantine
No routine quarantine described in Botswana's own published guidance for a pet …
Import permit
Import permit required from the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), …
Health certificate
Government-endorsed veterinary certificate, issued within 10 days of travel, …
Export permit
No formal CFIA export permit for a privately owned dog or cat leaving Canada. …
Costs

What this route typically costs

CFIA-accredited vet fees, vaccination and health certificate: CAD …
DVS import permit: not published as a fixed fee. Budget conservatively …
IATA-compliant travel crate: CAD 150-450.
Cargo, Toronto to Gaborone via Addis Ababa: CAD 2,000-4,200 depending …
IPATA agent fee for the Addis Ababa handover and DVS permit …
Total typical range: CAD 2,800-5,900.

Critical points

Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is the only approved entry point for a pet import into Botswana. There's no alternative airport or overland option, whatever the rest of the itinerary looks like.

Wolf-dog hybrids cannot enter Botswana under any circumstances. Savannah and Bengal cats are barred unless five generations removed from the wild-species parent. Confirm your pet's breed classification with DVS before booking anything.

The DVS import permit reportedly takes around 3 weeks, noticeably longer than the 3-to-5-working-day figure DVS quotes for its own export permit. Don't assume the two processes move at the same pace; confirm the current import timeline directly with DVS.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

Ethiopian Airlines
Connects Toronto Pearson to Sir Seretse Khama International via Addis Ababa, roughly 7 …
Cargo Only
Air Canada
Covers the Toronto departure leg for a connection onward to Ethiopian Airlines' network, …
Cargo Only
Air Botswana
Handles the final domestic or regional leg into Gaborone if the routing connects through …
Cargo Only

Botswana import rules, explained

Botswana has a detailed set of import rules, and each one needs to be satisfied before travel. None of it is unusual, but the order and timing are what catch people out.

Practical tips for this move

Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.

Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.

Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Botswana’s DVS bars wolf-dog hybrids from import outright, with no exception in the published regulations. Confirm your pet’s classification with DVS before making any other arrangements.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone. It’s the only approved port of entry for a pet import into Botswana; no other airport or land crossing is set up to process one.
Around 3 weeks by most published estimates, notably longer than the 3-to-5-working-day figure DVS quotes for its own export permit. Confirm the current timeline directly with DVS and apply as early as possible.
No. Every booking runs through Ethiopian Airlines’ Addis Ababa hub, connecting Toronto to Sir Seretse Khama International roughly 7 times weekly. No carrier flies Toronto to Johannesburg or Gaborone directly.
Airline guides
  • Ethiopian Airlines
  • Air Canada
  • Air Botswana
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

Browse all breed guides →

Move your pet to Botswana.

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CA BWCanada to Botswana
International pet transport route
Lead time10-14 weeks
QuarantineNone
ComplexityHigh
Airlines3
ServiceDoor to door
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