Pet travel route
Dog or cat from South Africa to the Dominican Republic
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 4 more.
Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 7 official pages
In short
- On this route: parasite treatment before travel and tell the authority in advance.
- No rabies blood test, import permit or quarantine on this route for a pet that meets the rules.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving South Africa publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. In South Africa a state veterinarian of your province certifies your pet's export health certificate (the national Department of Agriculture's information pack confirms this is a provincial task). The only province whose pet guidance we could read is the Western Cape (its page, and info sheets from 2023 and 2024), so the booking time and fee here are the Western Cape's. Other provinces may book, charge and time things differently: ask your provincial state vet office, and check the destination's own requirements.
Limited official guidance. The authority for entering the Dominican Republic publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DIGEGA's page lists what the health certificate must state, but it doesn't say what happens when your pet arrives (inspection, fees), whether a pet travelling as cargo or without its owner needs anything more, or which vaccinations other than rabies are expected. Ask DIGEGA (809-535-9689) before you travel if any of these apply to you.
At a glance
The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.
How early to start
4 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure (at least 30 days before the departure date)
2 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Set by: Vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation (the certificate travels with your pet)
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route
- No rabies blood test
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Parasite treatment before travel
- Tell the authority in advance
Rule-change alertsChecked daily
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Rule change for pets travelling from South Africa to the Dominican Republic
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South Africa → Dominican Republic
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether South Africa (leaving) or the Dominican Republic (entering) asks for it.
Get ready
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure
Your pet is vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated-virus vaccine, given at least 90 days after birth. After a first vaccination, wait 30 days before travelling: the vaccination must be at least 30 days before the departure date.
Details and the official words
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los cachorros deben haber recibido la vacuna contra la rabia al menos 90 días después del nacimiento (3 meses o 12 semanas) y esperar 30 días después de la vacunación antes de viajar.”
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure
The rabies vaccination on the certificate must be no more than 12 months before the departure date, even if your pet's vaccine is valid for longer. If your pet's last shot will be older, give a booster before you travel. An adult dog with a history of rabies vaccination and boosters doesn't need to wait 30 days after the booster; a cat does.
Details and the official words
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
DIGEGA's exemption from the 30-day wait names adult dogs only, so we apply the 30 days to every cat's vaccination.
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los perros adultos con antecedentes de vacunación contra la rabia y dosis de refuerzo no necesitan esperar 30 días después de la vacunación.”
In the days before you travel
Vet examEntering the Dominican Republic
Vet examination within 72 hours before departure
A vet examines your pet within the 72 hours before the departure date and finds it free of infectious or contagious diseases. By then it must already have been treated against internal and external parasites.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
Vet examLeaving South Africa
Health check and health certificate from your private vet
Take your pet to your private vet for a health check. The vet completes a standard veterinary health certificate (blank forms from the state vet office, and Western Cape templates for many destinations) and must have done all the tests, treatments and vaccinations the destination asks for: ones not done by the vet are not accepted for certification. The province's general guide asks for the health check within 7 days of travel, depending on what the destination's import permit says.
Details and the official words
“Your pet should be taken to your local private veterinarian for a health check.”
“Your veterinarian should complete a standard Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC).”
“Your veterinarian must have completed all the tests, treatments and vaccinations indicated on the import permit.”
“A health check within 7 days of travel depending on what is specified on the import permit”
TreatmentEntering the Dominican Republic
Internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination
Your pet is treated against internal and external parasites before the vet examines it. The certificate names the dewormers with their manufacturer and active ingredients. DIGEGA gives no time window: ask your vet.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
“El certificado debe especificar: las vacunas administradas y el control de parásitos internos y externos (los desparasitantes deben especificar el fabricante y los principios activos).”
PaperworkSouth Africa and the Dominican Republic
Vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation
A vet issues and signs a health certificate after the examination, and an official vet at the port of embarkation endorses and stamps it. It gives the name and address in the Dominican Republic of the person accompanying the pet, the pet's full identification (name, breed, sex, colour, date of birth, microchip and/or tattoo), the vaccinations given and the parasite treatments. Attach the vaccination record with the vaccine labels (batch number, manufacture and expiry dates).
Details and the official words
DIGEGA's page places the official endorsement at the port of embarkation. In many countries the official vet endorses certificates before you go to the airport (in the US, USDA APHIS): ask your country's official veterinary service how it endorses a certificate for the Dominican Republic.
State vet certifies the health certificate: Bring the signed health certificate, the destination's import permit (some destinations, such as EU countries and Namibia, don't issue one), your pet's vaccination booklet, supporting documents and your ID or driver's licence to the state vet office. The state vet certifies the certificate. You pay the application fee at the appointment (R200 per application in 2023 in the Western Cape).
Fee: R200 per application in 2023 (Western Cape general info sheet; its EU info sheet says R209). It is set by the province's tariff list and may have changed.
“Los animales deben ir acompañados de un certificado sanitario expedido y firmado por un veterinario. Este certificado debe ser refrendado y sellado por un veterinario oficial en el puerto de embarque.”
“El certificado debe contener el nombre y la dirección de la persona que acompaña al animal en la República Dominicana y la identificación completa del animal (nombre, raza, sexo, color, fecha de nacimiento, microchip y/o tatuaje).”
“Debe ir acompañado de un registro de vacunación con las etiquetas de las vacunas, incluyendo el número de lote, la fecha de fabricación y la fecha de caducidad.”
“Pets travelling out of South Africa generally require a Veterinary Health Certificate certified by a state veterinarian.”
“An import permit from the country you are going to (some countries such as EU countries and Namibia do not issue these, for further information contact your local State Vet)”
“The signed VHC, import permit as well as your pet’s vaccination booklet and supporting documents should be brought to the SV office for certification.”
“Cost for application in 2023 is R200 each”
NoticeLeaving South Africa
Book an appointment with the state vet office
State vet offices certify pets by appointment only. In Cape Town, email vetexport@westerncape.gov.za with the time slot you want, the number of pets and their destination, at least 2 days ahead; other offices ask you to book in good time because the state vet is not always available.
Details and the official words
“To make an appointment, clients are required to send an e-mail to vetexport@westerncape.gov.za with their required time slot.”
“Clients are required to make an appointment at least 2 days in advance.”
Good to know
- Export certification is done by the veterinary services of your province, so contact the state vet office where you live. In the Western Cape: the Cape Town Veterinary Export Certification Office (34 Roeland Street, vetexport@westerncape.gov.za, by appointment Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 12:00) or the regional state vet offices.
- The destination sets the rules, and you are responsible for getting its import requirements. Check them with the destination's veterinary authority (or its representatives in South Africa) before each trip; the province's info sheets are only a guide.
- Coming back to South Africa later? Dogs and cats entering South Africa need a veterinary import permit from the national Department of Agriculture (VetPermits@nda.gov.za).
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in South Africa publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.
Government fees on this route
No fee applies to every trip; these may, depending on your case
State vet’s certificate application (Western Cape)Leaving South Africa200 ZAR
The Western Cape’s 2023 figure; its EU info sheet gives R209 for 2023. Each province sets its own tariff: ask your state vet office for the current amount.
“Certificate application cost can be found on the departments tariff register (Cost for application in 2023 is R200 each) each payable on appointment.”
Taking pet dogs and cats overseas: info sheet 'Dogs and cats general 2023' (Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Veterinary International Trade Facilitation) · as of 2023-03-20
What vets and labs charge Not official figures
Vet examinationyour vet · for: vet examination within 72 hours before departure, health check and health certificate from your private vet590 ZAR
South Africa: 2 published prices
- Vet House (Pietermaritzburg, KZN): Normal consultation (routine care price list)590 ZAR · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
- The Corner Vet (Bryanston, Johannesburg): Wellness exam (nose-to-tail consultation)590 ZAR · per consultation · read 2026-10-13
Rabies vaccinationyour vet · for: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure250–412 ZAR
South Africa: 3 published prices
- Vet House (Pietermaritzburg, KZN): Rabies vaccine (Nobivac Rabies); the list does not say whether a consultation is included250 ZAR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
- Vitalvet (George / Mossel Bay, Western Cape): Rabies-only vaccination (the same price is shown in two of the three branch price tables on the page; the page does not label which table is which branch)300 ZAR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
- The Corner Vet (Bryanston, Johannesburg): Rabies-only vaccination for an adult dog (vaccinations section is headed 'Wellness exam and vaccination')412 ZAR · per vaccination · read 2026-10-13
No published prices yet for South Africa: parasite treatment, health certificate (vet’s fee).
Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices
Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.
Round trip
Coming back to South Africa
Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves South Africa (dogs).
The trip back asks for 13 steps: veterinary import permit (before the animal leaves), ISO microchip (tattoos are not accepted), lived in the exporting country since birth or for the last 6 months and rabies vaccination at least 30 days before export (not needed from Australia, New Zealand and the UK) and more.
Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves South Africa (cats).
The trip back asks for 9 steps: veterinary import permit (before the animal leaves), ISO microchip (tattoos are not accepted), lived in the exporting country since birth or for the last 6 months and rabies vaccination at least 30 days before export (not needed from Australia, New Zealand and the UK) and more.
Nearby routes
Other routes
Where this comes from
Official sources
- Permisología para la Importación / Exportación de Perros y Gatos (DIGEGA)
- Exporting pets and products (Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Services)
- Taking pet dogs and cats overseas: info sheet 'Dogs and cats general 2023' (Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Veterinary International Trade Facilitation)
- Non-commercial export of dogs and cats to the European Union: info sheet (Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Veterinary International Trade Facilitation, 2024)
- South African policy on export certification for animals and animal products (Department of Agriculture, Government Notice 1325, Government Gazette 31680, 12 December 2008; gov.za copy)
- Export certification: information pack (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, file of 2 March 2016, listed in the department's information packs of 18 August 2021; read from Common Crawl CC-MAIN-2026-39, captured 11 September 2026)
- Veterinary import permit office: application reference numbers and proof of payment (Department of Agriculture, 5 September 2025; read from Common Crawl CC-MAIN-2026-39, captured 15 September 2026)
Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.
Questions owners ask
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from South Africa to the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in the Dominican Republic?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
How early should I start preparing my pet for South Africa to the Dominican Republic?
With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure, rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and vet examination within 72 hours before departure and 4 more.
Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake
Read next
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