Pet Transport South Africa to USA: High-Risk Country Process
Delta flies nonstop from Johannesburg to Atlanta, and your dog cannot be on it: Delta and United both keep their pet cargo programmes closed to the public, so every South African pet crosses via a hub. The bigger constraint is the …
The South Africa to United States pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
Which United States rules depend on a pet coming from South Africa?
The United States sorts countries into 2 groups, and South Africa falls in “High-risk countries for dog rabies”.
Dog has been in one of these within 6 months: rabies vaccination mandatory. US-vaccinated dogs need USDA-endorsed CDC certification form; foreign-vaccinated dogs need foreign certification form, CDC-approved titre or 28-day quarantine, facility reservation and arrival at that facility's airport. Official source
These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:
- Quarantine: Without a valid titre, the dog is admitted only after 28 days' quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility; this can be shortened if criteria are met. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: All foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility before entry, where they are examined and revaccinated with a US-licensed rabies vaccine. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: The 28-day CDC facility quarantine may be shortened only if all of these are met: personal pet or service dog; documentation of at least 2 rabies vaccines; healthy on exam; the facility gets CDC approval for a prospective serologic monitoring (PSM) assessment; the dog gets a US-issued rabies vaccine under PSM; and a titre is obtained from a CDC-approved US lab (CDC FAQ updated 27 August 2026). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a passing rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory; blood drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Passing titre results are valid for life while vaccination does not lapse and the lab remains approved. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Not required: US-vaccinated dogs returning from a high-risk country need valid (unexpired) documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination, not a titre. If that documentation is invalid, the foreign-vaccinated rules (including titre or 28-day quarantine) apply. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries need the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by a vet and endorsed by an official government vet of the departure country. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: That form must be completed no more than 30 days before travel, is single use and is valid 30 days from the vet's signature. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and USDA-endorsed before the dog leaves the US (at least 28 days after a first vaccine). Page updated 28 April 2026. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after 31 July 2025 are no longer accepted for re-entry; the CDC certification form is needed instead. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies vaccination: For high-risk dogs the first rabies vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age; earlier vaccines are not accepted. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - How your pet may travel: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive by air; only service dogs (14 CFR 382.3) may arrive by sea. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive at the airport where their CDC-registered facility is. CDC list (updated 1 Sept 2026): Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA, cargo only), Washington DC (IAD). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: There are no CDC-registered facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories, so foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs cannot enter the US through those places. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries may arrive at any airport, land border or seaport matching the receipt. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months cannot enter at a land border crossing (Canada or Mexico). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Microchip: For dogs from high-risk countries the chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine, otherwise the vaccine is invalid. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026
One rule for every pet entering the United States decides whether yours can travel at all:
- Minimum age: Every dog must be at least 6 months old on entry or return to the US.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Minimum age: Not listed: cats. CDC's cat section requires only that cats appear healthy on arrival (they may be inspected, examined at the owner's cost if ill, or refused if they show a zoonotic disease); rabies vaccination proof is not required. APHIS states it has no animal health requirements for pet cats (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/cats). Neither sets a minimum age; destination states may.
Bringing an Animal into the U.S., checked 2 October 2026
The rules that apply to every pet entering the United States, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our United States guide.
What does South Africa require before your pet leaves?
We are still checking the export rules of South Africa against official government pages, so they are not shown here yet.
What this route typically costs
Critical points to read before you book
South Africa is on the CDC's high-risk country list (confirmed April 2026). Dogs face a far more demanding process than dogs from low-risk countries.
Every high-risk-country dog needs a CDC-registered facility reservation before it flies. Only six US airports have one: Atlanta, Los Angeles (two facilities), Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington Dulles.
The Foreign Vaccination certification form is valid for 30 days from the vet's signature and is single-use. Do not sign it until your travel date is confirmed.
Cats from South Africa face essentially no US federal requirements. The CDC high-risk rules apply to dogs only.
Delta's Johannesburg nonstop takes no civilian pets, so every pet journey routes via Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt or London.
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
The two pathways for dogs
Because South Africa is a CDC high-risk country, dogs have two routes to US entry:
Pathway 1 (titre test): Your dog has a valid rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory, with blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 28 days before US entry. With the titre, the CDC facility visit on arrival is an exam and same-day release, and a pass holds for the dog’s lifetime provided boosters never lapse.
Pathway 2 (CDC facility): Without a valid titre, your dog is held at the CDC-registered facility for 28 days on arrival, at your expense (typically 100 to 400 dollars per day). The facility may administer a US rabies vaccine and titre test during the stay, with possible early release under strict criteria.
Most owners choose the titre pathway. Twenty-eight days of facility boarding costs more than the titre in every scenario, before counting the welfare impact on the dog.
Two absolutes either way: the microchip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccination or the CDC treats the vaccination as invalid, and the dog must be at least six months old to enter at all.
Cats are completely different
Routing and the six-airport constraint
The corridor quirk: Delta operates the only Johannesburg to USA nonstop (Atlanta), and it is closed to civilian pets, as is United’s cargo programme across the network. Pet journeys therefore route via Doha (Qatar Airways), Dubai (Emirates) or London (British Airways), as manifested cargo.
Every high-risk-country dog, titre or not, must arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility, reserved before departure. The CDC’s current list names seven facilities across six airports: Atlanta, Los Angeles (two), Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington Dulles. No onward domestic flight is allowed until the facility releases the dog, so choose the facility airport closest to your final destination and verify the live list at cdc.gov before booking.
On the South African side, DALRRD requires State Veterinarian certification, and only vaccinations administered by a registered veterinarian count. A specialist agent earns their fee on this corridor.
Common questions about South Africa to United States pet transport
Get a free, fully itemised quote for your South Africa to United States pet move. Our specialists will map out the entire timeline and costs. No surprises.
Sources
Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.