Golden Labrador
Have you seen ads on South African puppies? Beware because there is are advets circulating about South Africa Bulldog puppies and Nigerian puppies that are not upfront and honest. That being said, South Africa does have wonderful pet choices both for South Africans and people living overseas. Here are some tips you can take to avoid being scammed:
- Never ever agree to buying a pet supposedly from South Africa through an e-mail or online ad where you have to deposit funds first including shipping costs
- If you can’t verify the seller, drop the plan
- Check for previous and current reports on the seller by using the internet. Google for feedback
For legitimate purchases, however, there are many stores and reputable websites with pets for sale in South Africa. It’s a booming industry, but don’t expect to be able to buy exotic animals since many of them are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act or NEMA. A few of the regulations would be that certain animals in their lists are illegal to be sold and documents must be shown if the animal is to be exported out of South Africa. Also, animals bred in captivity are not allowed to be sold if they are in the NEMA list. Thus, you have to check what animals can be bought legally in South Africa.
For instance, the cute and appealing riverine rabbit is small and cuddly. They can only be found in South Africa, more specifically in the Karoo. Since there are only several hundred known riverine rabbits left in the world, they are listed as critically endangered in South Africa. You will know them by their distinctive black stripe running from their mouth to their cheek, and their cream-colored bellies.
Here is a list of what to do when buying or selling a pet in South Africa:
- Get approval from an accredited South African vet
- Secure a Vet Health Certificate. For cats, this is a 2 page document but for dogs it is a 4 page document
- Any animal that goes through South African entry points must pass through 6 months quarantine and be tagged with a micro chip
- The pet must have a valid and current rabies vaccination. Travel will only be allowed after 30 days from rabies shot
- Be ready for tests for the following diseases for dogs upon entry: Brucella Canis, Babesia Gibsoni, Leishmania, Trypanosoma evansi, and Dirofilaria immitis. If no proof of testing is shown, the South African authorities will treat the animals themselves at the expense of the new owner.
Guidelines after Buying Your Pet: Pet Laws in South Africa
Once you have your new pet, here are some more guidelines to help you adjust easier to having a new member of your family around. These guidelines can be found under the new pet laws of South Africa which were implemented starting last year.
- If you are living in an apartment or small dwelling unit, you can only have maximum of 2 dogs
- If you are living in a medium-sized house, you can have 3 dogs
- You can own 4 dogs if you have a large house and 6 dogs in farm. Any exception to this law requires a permit from the government
- Dogs in heat are not allowed in public places
- Dog faeces must be removed by the pet owner
- Dogs are not allowed to bark for more than 6 minutes in one hour or 3 minutes every 30 minutes
- Your pet dog must be on leash at all times in public places unless it is a specified off-leash area
- Every dog must have a micro chip or collar
- Stray dogs must be reported
Finally, if you are living in South Africa and you just bought a dog, it is required by law that you register your new pet with the local agency.