Bringing Pets to Mauritius from South Africa

Hello Cara Kahn

Welcome to Expat.com

You will find a lot of information about your query by browsing the forum section :

> Moving to Mauritius with pets

We also have an old article in our Mauritius Expat guide : What about your pets?


Hope it helps

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com

We are currently moving out two beagles and two cats to mauritius, its not an easy process and its not a cheap process, but it is doable. Where abouts are you in SA?

Awesome thanks so much , that is super helpful. We live in Cape Town.
How long does the process take and how long do they have to stay in quarantine?

It takes 6 months on the South African side and then the dogs are in quarantine for 1 month at the university of port Louis. It's worth it when your fur babies are with you on the island

Hi there, hope you don't mind me jumping onto this thread. We are currently in the process of trying to get our dogs over here from SA. We are grappling with the timelines of tests and rabies and how it all works. Marieclaire1902 have you been though the process? When you say it takes 6 months, how is this calculated? Also did you use a broker here in MRU and did you use a company back in South Africa? We would be so grateful for any info that we can get. We are missing our dogs terribly!!

Thank you so much
Kind regards

Hi there

So from the first rabies inoculation (ours were due for there's and we've got 2 cats and 2 dogs so we decided to do all together) then 30 days later is the first blood draw, then there is another blood draw 3 months later and then only after you have gotten clear results from that which can take up to 2 months depending on the lab and in our case over the December break means and extra month. So in total without the December break it is 6 months. There are also all the innoculations just before you leave 36 and 72 hours before. We are using a company here (vet) to do the testing and compliance with the state vet in South Africa. We are then using another company for relocation. There are companies that do everything all in one on the RSA side but we've heard very good things about these two companies and they work hand in hand. The transporting company has then put us in touch with the broker I suppose you could call him on the MUR side to handle the permits for the animals and MUR state vet inspection at the airport on the day of arrival (generally a Tuesday/Thursday) and then the quarantine which happens at the university of Port Louis for 30 days from arrival. Where are your dogs now?

Hi ... I'm also in the process .. 🙈.. I'm using Penny from Petport .. They are very clued up .. Another quick question regarding relocation of cats .. I am really wanting to bring mine but so nervous of her running away once out of quarantine .. Any advice???

It's great to see how many people are going through this process.
I've been dealing with Mr Hurry from Airpet Relocations in Mauritius, and he's going to put me in touch with a South African agent.
We've had the rabies injection, and will be doing the first draw this weekend. We're hoping to move at the end of December, beginning of January, so I'm going to hold thumbs that the results don't take 2 months to come back 

Hi Tracey08

I think that it would be a great idea to contact the Paws Resort if you are in JHB and Aeropet also in JHB for them to assist you with the time lines as far as I know (and I'm no expert) the second blood draw can only take place 3 months after the first, what the MUR officials need. It was also our intention to move at the beginning of Jan but we were told it was to risky with the blood lab being the only one in SA to do the tests and being flooded with samples and back logged for months.

Thanks MarieClaire1902, I'll definitely follow up on that. When are you planning on leaving now?

It has been suggested to us that the best time to go will be the first week of February. As far I'm aware you can meet your dogs and cats at the airport if you are already there.. I am however remaining in SA until the dogs and cats are ready and then meeting my husband.

Hi Everyone,

Im so relieved to hear of more people going through this same process too! This may be a strange question..(our relocation to Mru was very sudden so we are now grappling with all these things from here with our dogs waiting back in SA!)

Thanks Marie for your info.. so just to get my head around all of this...

With regards to the first rabies jab and then the first blood draw.. two questions if anyone could shed some light for me..

1. To start the whole export process,  no matter what age the animal, am I right in that they will first require a rabies jab, and then you have to wait 1 month before the first blood draw? Is this a very specific stipulation? - I've read the forms 100 times but still am a bit unclear, as is my vet!

2. Is there also a stipulation that the dogs can only be exported after 6 months post the 1st rabies jab? (obviously with all the titration tests in between etc)... Is the minimum wait 6 months?

3. Also, has anyone had an issue with the blood results being so delayed at the lab that the 6 month period in which you are supposed to have all testing etc completed in order to export the dogs expires? Is this a valid concern? 

Thanks so much for any info!

Hi Jaymie

You are 100% correct on the first point. It is 30 days after the first Rabies and you are also correct on the second it is a minimum of 6 months due to the spacing of the blood draws and the labs.

I hope that helps

Thanks Marie, do you know if it has to be exactly 30 days or can it be longer? My one little boy had his jab in March and first blood draw in July.. Im wondering if this will be a problem.. ? (Sorry if Im sounding a bit slow here..!)

And say for instance if the labs were quick (unrealistic I know) but if the results came quickly, would it be possible for the dogs to be exported before the 6 month window from first rabies jab? Or is this 6 months a set time frame that is specified? (not just one that happens due to slow lab turnaround time)..

Who exactly are you using in SA and in Mru if you don't mind me asking..

Hi Jaymie we were told that it had to be no less than 30 days. Perhaps you could get in touch with Dr Kristine Paige she is a vet and the relocation specialist we are using PAWS RESORT PET TRAVEL CLINIC
245 Stirrup Road, Bridle Park A.H.
PO Box 31548
Kyalami; 1684; GAUTENG
((TEL): +27 087 803 5820
Ê(FAX):  0866 536 557
È(CEL): +27 (0) 74 167 5535
*: quarantine@paws-resort.co.za
ü: www.paws-resort.co.za

This is the info we received from her:
1.       Rabies vaccination
---Waiting period: at least 30 days, but not more than 6 months---
2.       1st RNATT test
---Waiting period: 3 months---
3.       2nd RNATT test
---Waiting period: at least one month, but not more than 6 months before departure date---
(4.    Brucella and Ehrlichia blood tests (no more than 45 days  before departure))
4.       Departure
So there is a total of 5 months minimum period from the date of rabies vaccination as stipulated by Mauritius requirements, but it usually takes 6 weeks to obtain the RNATT rest result for the second RNATT test, so I cannot arrange a departure date at 30 days after the 2nd RNATT test, as we generally would not have the RNATT result by then.  In addition to this, the import permit can’t be applied for until the RNATT result is available, and also, the import permit is required for making the flight booking, which must be done at a minimum of 2 weeks before the departure date.  So I like to leave a buffer of about 2 months minimum from the date of the second RNATT test, to allow sufficient time to arrange the final paperwork which allows the pets to depart.

Marie thank you so so much! this finally makes sense! I cannot thank you enough! My dogs are in Durban but I will make contact with Dr Paige and see what can be done. Ah thank you! ! Its such a complex process this!

Really appreciate your help!

Thanks for all this info , I am traveling at the moment and as soon as I get home I am going to take all the pets for their rabies shots and get started. Now for the next thing ? How much does it cost from start to finish ? Is it the same for dogs and cats ? Can you walk your dog while it is in quarantine ?
By the time we all get our pets there we can go for walks with our dogs together 👍
Thanks again xx

Yes can help
Send in yr inbox

So it's not cheap. The cats and dogs cost has been pretty similar in our experience. The vet side of things - blood draws etc. will be about R 20 000 for our four animals. Transportation to Mauritius will be another R 22 000 or so and then in Mauritius it will cost about R 10 000. You can visit and walk your dogs for 2 hours a day I believe!!

Hi can you maybe mail me ? ***

I used global laws in SA. JACKIE was awesome. Hassle free and well organised for my old cat misty. About 25 k per per. June 2016

Hi everyone,

Just to jump in here, we moved our 2 dogs and 1 cat from Cape Town to Mauritius in March this year and I would be happy to help with any questions too (please private msg me). It was so stressful and I was so grateful to have a friend who had recently been through it all so I'm happy to help anyone with advice too.

We used Animal Travel Services - 021 934 9556/7 for the CT to Mur leg and then used Service De Demenagement International Ltee as the agent in Mauritius to clear them from airport into Quarantine.

And yes, you can visit them in quarantine daily during their visiting hours and walk them outside their kennel to a garden/grassed area where you can play with them and they can run around. Obviously still all on the quarantine's grounds in fenced off areas.

Good luck!

Megan

Amazing Megan thanks so much , we are in the process of planning still but one of the things that has been stressing me out about the move is the pets. How much did it cost you in total to get your 3 pets to MU ?
Where about do you live on the island ??

Morning Cara, it cost approximately R50k for all three for everything, when I added up all the vaccinations & vet bills & laboratory bills and couriers (for lab results as I didn't quite have faith in SA Postal Service) & flights & agent fees & quarantine fees etc. So its not a cheap undertaking, but luckily I could include it in my "relocation allowance" from my company. We live in the North, near Grand Baie.

Hi All,I am bringing over two cats and would like to know what the condition of the facility is like and if cats and dogs are kept in the same area?

Hi Pieter,

They don't keep the cats and the dogs in the same building, however both buildings are located near to one another. The cat enclosures are about 5m x 3m, with tiled floors and tiled half-walls x1 and tiled-full walls x3. The roof is wire caging as well as the rest of the half-wall. So the cats can see out across from them and see who is walking past etc but cannot really see their neighbors.

They don't supply anything - we left their travel crate in the enclosure, with a pillow and a blanket and also purchased some toys and scratch posts to leave in the enclosure. The staff really do look after the animals and I am happy to report that not once was the litter tray dirty upon arrival (and we visited almost every day).

I mean it is by no means a cat hotel, it's quarantine after all, but it was clean and there was always clean water available as well.

Thanks so Much Megan.Just one last question, will my cats be kept in their own enclosure or mixed with other cats?

They will definitely be in their own enclosure and will be housed together 100%

Hi Megan I am in the process of getting my dog here to Mauritius, she will come with my wife and daughter... Can you tell me more or less total costs I could be looking at?

I know this is an old post, but reading through it now...

Thanks

Pedro

Hi Pedro

Are you looking for the costs here or in SA as well?

The cost of getting our animals over here with the import permit etc. was quite high as we have 4, but for one dog I think it will be much less. It was Rs 15000 for the import permits landing fees vet fees etc.

Here it costs about Rs 900 per animal for their stay in quarantine and Rs 1000 to register the dog with the Mauritian animal society.

Costs in SA are higher due to the injections blood tests etc.

Hope that helps.

Hi Pedro

It cost us around R50 000 but that was for 2 dogs and 1 cat and included ALL costs - from the injections & vet checks up to 6 months in advance in RSA - to flights &  import permits & crates & quarantine etc.

So your's will be a lot less for 1 dog and as Marie Claire said, the cost on SA side is a lot more than the cost once they have landed here.

Hope this helps & good luck

Let me know if you would like suggestions for pet travel agents/ brokers etc.

Megan

Also cost me between R50k and R60k to bring 2 cats and 1 dog. They have been in quarantine for 2 weeks now.... hoping to get them out soon

Hi

Thank you for that, that helps.

One more question, do you have the address where the kennels are and do you think I can go and see how it looks there and also chat with them?

I read that it's minimum 5 days and maximum 39 days, is that correct? How many days were your dogs in quarantine?

Thanks

Pedro

Mine were in for three weeks in February. That's the maximum I've heard from a lot of people. The quarantine is in Reduit by the Clinique Le Mauricienne. It's pretty easy to find, close to Bagatelle. The men there are very friendly and helpful - especially Lucien

Hi there, I saw the thread about relocating your pet from RSA to Mauritius.

How did everything go? and what did it cost you in the end? also how long did it take.

Do you have a good contact that can assist me in doing so? We will be relocation before the end of the year.

We will be bringing our english spring over from Gauteng.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Justyna.

Hi Megan,

This is Candi, i am trying to get to the bottom of emigrating with my 2 dogs and 3 or 4 cats.
If you don't mind, we will be corresponding so that i can hear, from the horses mouth, about quarantine. 

Do they keep our cats together in the same cage?  (i.e. i have 2 cats that i would like to be caged together)

Would they put the other 2 in close proximity or within sight of the others so that they all know that they are 'in this together' so to speak.

The same question would apply for my 2 dogs.

do you by any chance have the email address of the agent you used or of the department themselves - i need to get permission to bring in my staffie.  She is my baby and there is no way i am doing this move without her.  You can't know how many nights i have woken up hyperventilating about the horror stories i have heard about them putting the dogs down etc etc.  i would die if i didn't have my baby girl with me.

Looking forward to hopefully chatting soon.

Thanks
Candi

Hi again Candi

We will also be moving with 2 cats and a dog, so have done some homework on it and spoken extensively to a vet in MRU to get the lowdown too.  Happy to share
Viv

Hi Viv

Thank you SO SO much for your reply and for being happy to share your info.  Please could you send me a message so that we can open up the channels of communication.

Much appreciation and warmest regards
Candi