THE LOW DOWN
ON PET TRAVEL
EXPORTING PETS FROM TANZANIA
...CAN BE A BREEZE IF YOU START EARLY AND PLAN AHEAD
VETERINARY SERVICES & KENNELLING
Every Living Thing is proud be in a partnership with Pet Care House Veterinary Clinic which is located on Kahama Road in Masaki.
Pet Care House is a reliable veterinary clinic that offers all the services you need to export or import your pet! Call 0753643835 For An Appointment
Every Living Thing offers kennelling services for your pets. If you deport before your pet is eligible to leave, we can help you through the process, provide airport check in and drop off and liaise with shipping agents, make payments on your behalf and ensure all necessary documents are in order.
Click Here To Learn About Our Kennelling Services
Pet Travel Glossary:
Microchip: Necessary in order to import your dog into certain countries. We recommend microchipping your pet even if it is not required for the country you are traveling to. Details about microchips below.
Vaccines: Proof of rabies vaccine and the DHPPL vaccine is a basic requirement for most countries.
Rabies Titer Test (RNATT): Required by many rabies free countries, especially the EU . See below for more information.
Additional Blood Tests: Additional tests may need to be done against specific diseases according to the country of importation. This is especially true for South Africa.
Health Certificate/Export Permit: Done together by a licensed veterinarian and certified by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries
Import Permit: Required by new country in order to import your pet. This needs to be arranged ahead of travel but does not apply to all countries. Some countries allow you to get an import permit upon arrival. It is always best to counter check all information with the appropriate government agencies.
Veterinary Health Certificate: This is a document that your licensed veterinarian will need to fill out in order for you to obtain an import permit from the new country and to exit from Tanzania. Pay attention to detail here, many countries that require this also required that every page is stamped and has the official seal from the Ministry.
Agency Fee: Some pet owners hire agents on both the Tanzanian side and the country of importation. Agents ensure that all documents are in order prior to travelling and liaise with customs agents, Swissport and your airline prior to and and at the airport. Some people organize the details of their pets export themselves and pay an agency fee to an agent at the airport at the time of their dogs export. (Paying an agent a fee to organize every detail about your pets export and just paying an agent at the airport the day of travel will have varying rates. Every Living Thing also has a lot of experience exporting animals and can assist you with your pets exportation. You do not always require an agent to clear your pet at the airport. You only require an agent to clear your pet if your pet's ticket is booked through cargo.
TRA: Animals who are booked through cargo are subject to taxes.
Swissport Terminal Charge: This is a charge from swissport that is paid at the airport.
Airline Ticket/freight Charge: This is the cost of the airline ticket for your pet and sometimes depends on whether your pet is travelling as cargo, excess baggage or as carry on.
Cargo vs. Excess Baggage vs. Carry On: Depending on the size of your dog, your destination and the airline's policy your pets will either travel in the cargo hold and processed as cargo, in the cargo hold and processed as excess baggage or in the cabin with you. This is something you or your agent will need to negotiate with your airline specifically.
Original Copies: Your pet will need to fly with the original copies of all of his/her documents.
Export Process for Dogs and Cats Leaving Tanzania
All animals leaving Tanzania need to have a Health Certificate and an Export Certificate. This is only issued within 10 days of leaving.
For the Veterinary clinic to process the health certificate and export permit you will need:
A physical examination of your pet done by a licensed veterinarian. Upon completion of the physical examination the veterinarian will issue a Health Certificate.
A copy of the Vaccination Book. The Veterinarian will examine the vaccination /medical book to make sure your pet is up to date with vaccinations.
Certain countries require the veterinary clinic to fill out their country's version of a health certificate as well. You will need to discuss this with your veterinarian, an agent if needed and research the import laws in the country you are moving to. This is especially true for the EU and South Africa.
The above is taken to the ministry and they issue an Export Certificate. It is only issued on working days. The process takes 2-3 working days after receiving the documents. The export certificate and health certificate is only valid for 10 days.
Microchip:
Most countries require that your pet be identified with a pet microchip. The most internationally recognised microchip is a 15 digit ISO 11784 compliant microchip. Its extremely important to register your contact information with the microchips online database prior to traveling as a means of identification should your pet be lost or separated from you. If your pet's microchip is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, you can bring your own microchip scanner. Most Tanzanian Veterinarian Clinics are stocked with this type of Microchip.
Please Note: Vaccinations should be administered the same day or after the microchip is implanted.
Vaccinations:
Your dog or cat will need either proof of current rabies vaccination and DHPPL OR a health certificate in English and completed by a licensed veterinarian. See below for additional details about the rabies titer test required to enter some rabies-free countries. In particular, some countries, like the EU require that your pet is microchipped and then vaccinated for rabies and then tested 30 days later (see Rabies Titer Test). However, your pet is only eligible to enter into the EU no sooner than 3 calendar months after the date the blood was drawn.
Please note that some rabies vaccines vary in the length of coverage and some countries like South Africa for example does not accept a 2 or 3 year vaccination.
The Rabies Titer Test:
Tanzania is unfortunately considered a country not free from the rabies disease (Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal) and therefore many rabies-free countries across the world require a rabies blood titer test (RNATT) be preformed on your pet. Titer tests are blood tests that measure the level of antibodies your animal has made to build immunity against the disease. A positive titer test means your dog has built an immunity and if everything else in in order, he/she can enter the country in question. If the new country has a quarantine period prior to entry, a positive titer test could help to reduce that quarantine period.
Required Time: If your pet has been vaccinated within the last 11 months we can use that vaccinate to test your pets blood for rabies antibodies (titer test). If your pet has not had a rabies vaccine in the last 11 months we will need to administer a rabies vaccine and then wait 30 days to draw blood. After 30 days has passed since the latest rabies vaccine and the blood has been taken, the animal cannot travel for 3 months from the date of that blood draw. Your pet can only complete the titer test 30 days after the vaccine was given. We will ship your pets blood sample with DHL to the South African Laboratory to be get tested. We recommend that you get this test done on your pet as soon as possible so that you have it out of the way and ready in case of sudden travel. Once the test is completed, with a titer score of 0.5 and above, the test is valid for life. If your pet is up to date with rabies vaccinations, he or she will score higher than 0.5 and will be allowed to travel. This is a common test and step for many pets to travel and should not intimate you.
Additional Blood Tests:
Some countries (like South Africa) require additional blood tests be done to check for the following five diseases: Brucella canis, Trypanosoma evansi, Babesia gibsoni, Dirofilaria immitis, Leishmania and Heartworm. We do not have the means to test for the following diseases in Tanzania, so your veterinarian will have to send your dogs blood to the OIE-approved laboratory in South Africa. This blood test must be done no more than 28 days before your dog enters the country. This test is for dogs only.
Required Time: Depending on the test
Health Certificate:
Within 10 days of exiting Tanzania, a licensed veterinarian may need to complete the Veterinary Certificate for the country of importation, this is not required by all countries. Please Check the countries government websites for information or contact the embassy. This can be done together with the export permit from Tanzania. The veterinarian will need to visit the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to obtain these.
Required Time: Health Certificates and Export Permits usually take about 3 days to receive, but you should give yourself 10 days. We recommend that you do not purchase your pets plane ticket until you have applied for this.
Deworming Tablet:
Some countries require that your animal is given a deworming tablet administered under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian before travel. (usually no more than 120 hours from when they land in the new country)
Required Time: This is usually required between 5 and 10 days of leaving the country, depending on the countries policy.
Pre- Arranged Import Permit
Some countries require that you apply for an import permit for the animals prior to entering the country. This will usually be a form that needs to be filled out by a licensed veterinarian in Tanzania.
Pre- Arranged Quarantine
Some countries require that any animal who is imported be quarantined at a government facility for a duration of time, this should always be pre-arranged as they usually have limited space. Some countries allow you to to the quarantine at your place of residence and in some cases, depending on the necessary documents you can be eligible for a reduction in quarantine time.
Guidelines For Specific Countries
EU Travellers
The EU requires that the pet has a pet passport and the rabies and DHPPL vaccinations are up to date in this document, as well as a rabies titer test. Without a pet passport, medical history or rabies titer test the process takes about 4 months, including the rabies titer test which is mandatory.
The requirements are:
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Your pet will need a microchip, this needs to be done and dated prior or on the same date as the rabies injection used to test your pets blood for the rabies titer test.
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Your pet will need a rabies vaccination within 11 months of travel but not less than 30 days.
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One month or more not exceeding 11 months after your pet received his/her rabies vaccination, you will need to bring him/her back to the vet to have blood drawn for the TITER Test. The blood is then sent to Onderstepoort in South Africa by DHL. You will need to pay OVI directly for the test to be processed. The reason the blood needs to be sent to South Africa is because the EU requires this test be carried out by an EU accredited Laboratory.
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Your pet is eligible to travel no sooner than 3 calendar months after the date the blood was drawn
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Health Certificate issued 10 days prior to leaving Tanzania/Export Permit
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A worming Tablet given 5 days prior to leaving
United States and Canadian Travellers
The United States of America and Canada have similar import rules for pets.
The requirements are:
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Your pet will need to be up to date with his or her vaccinations (rabies and DHPPL)
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Your pet will need a vaccination/medical book or record filled out by a licensed veterinarian
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Your pet will need a health certificate and an export permit filled out by a licensed veterinarian.
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Your pet will need a plane ticket arranged by you or an agent (an agent is not always necessary)
We strongly recommend that you research the rules and regulations pertaining to your specific country of import during the planning process. Make sure you check out the country's government website for up to date and detailed information.
Another site that we find useful is: www.pettravel.com/
PLEASE NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS MEANT TO BE SUPPLEMENTARY TO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, YOUR AGENTS INSTRUCTIONS AND YOUR COUNTRIES REGULATIONS.