Pet Transport from Namibia to the United Kingdom

A move from Namibia to United Kingdom with a dog or cat is mostly about preparing the documents in the right order. Around 18-24 weeks is sensible here, with a few steps that must …

18-24 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

High

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

18-24 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

High

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Namibia to United Kingdom typically takes around 18-24 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The import process, in full

Before the rabies vaccination used for the titre test.

Microchip implanted (ISO 11784/11785), if not already done.

Responsible: Namibian vet

As early as possible; both waiting periods below run from this or a later date.

Rabies vaccination given, or a current booster confirmed.

Responsible: Namibian vet

No sooner than 30 full days after vaccination.

Blood drawn for the titre test.

Responsible: Namibian vet

Postal transit plus lab processing, typically 3-5 weeks.

Sample sent to an accredited laboratory, in practice usually the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) in Pretoria, South Africa, since Namibia has no domestic lab with equivalent accreditation.

Responsible: Namibian vet / OVI

Runs concurrently with the lab turnaround; travel cannot be booked before it ends.

3-calendar-month wait counted from the blood draw date, not the result date.

Responsible: Owner tracks the dates

Close to departure, once the flight is booked.

Directorate of Veterinary Services endorses the export health certificate.

Responsible: Namibian state vet / MAWLR

Once the 3-month wait's end date is known.

Cargo routing booked, typically Windhoek to Johannesburg on Airlink, then Johannesburg to Heathrow on British Airways.

Responsible: Owner or IPATA agent

24 to 120 hours before landing in Great Britain.

Dog given praziquantel tapeworm treatment (not required for cats).

Responsible: Vet at the point of treatment

Checklist

What your pet needs

Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.

Microchip

ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination used for the titre test. Source: GOV.UK, 'Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain,' 2026.

Rabies vaccination

Current rabies vaccination required. Namibia does not appear on either of GB's listed-country tables (Part 1 or Part 2), so the vaccination alone doesn't clear a pet for travel; it starts the clock for the titre test below. Source: GOV.UK, 'Where you're travelling from,' 2026.

Rabies titre test

Rabies antibody blood test required, taken no sooner than 30 full days after vaccination, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. A further 3 calendar months must pass from the date blood was drawn, not the date the result arrives, before the pet can travel. Source: GOV.UK, 2026.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine for a pet that meets the unlisted-country rules in full. Source: GOV.UK, 2026.

Import permit

No APHA import licence needed for a compliant pet. A licence only applies to an animal going into approved quarantine because it hasn't met the titre test and waiting period rules. Source: GOV.UK, 2026.

Health certificate

Great Britain Pet Health Certificate, issued by an official or accredited vet, valid 10 days from issue to arrival in Great Britain. Source: GOV.UK, 2026.

Export permit

No separate export permit scheme for a dog or cat leaving Namibia by air. The controlling document is the veterinary health certificate below, issued or endorsed by a Namibian state veterinarian.

Veterinary inspection

Physical examination by a state veterinarian, or a private vet with Directorate endorsement, confirming the animal is fit to travel and that the microchip and vaccination record match the paperwork.

Government endorsement

Health certificate endorsed by the Directorate of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), close to the departure date.

Health certificate

State-issued or state-endorsed certificate confirming microchip, rabies vaccination and general health, reformatted to meet GOV.UK's Great Britain Pet Health Certificate model.

We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Namibia to United Kingdom move gets missed.

Pet Transport Global

Airlines

Carriers on this route

Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.

Airlink

Regional carrier connecting Hosea Kutako International (WDH) to O.R. Tambo, Johannesburg (JNB); the standard first leg for almost every pet leaving Namibia by air since Air Namibia's 2021 collapse.

Cargo Only

British Airways

Flies Johannesburg to Heathrow (LHR) daily. Pet cargo is handled through IAG Cargo; a Namibia-origin booking normally needs an IPATA-registered agent to manage the Johannesburg handover.

Cargo Only

Discover Airlines

Lufthansa Group carrier flying Windhoek to Frankfurt (FRA) year-round, an alternative continental European gateway with an onward Lufthansa or interline leg into the UK.

Cargo Only

Costs

What this route typically costs

Namibian vet visits, vaccination and blood draw: N$1,800-3,500 (roughly USD 100-195)

OVI titre test and international courier to Pretoria: USD 150-300

GB Pet Health Certificate and tapeworm treatment: GBP 120-280

IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 90-320

Cargo, Windhoek to Heathrow via Johannesburg: USD 1,400-3,200 depending on crate size and season

IPATA agent fee for the Johannesburg handover: USD 250-500

Total typical range: USD 2,200-5,500 over 18-24 weeks

Critical points

The 3-month wait is counted from the day blood was drawn, not the day the OVI result arrives. Owners who wait for the result before treating the clock as running lose weeks they hadn't planned for.

No airline flies Windhoek to London directly. Every booking transfers through Johannesburg or Frankfurt, adding a leg and a second document check to plan around.

Namibia has no domestic FAVN-accredited laboratory, so the blood sample normally travels to Pretoria. Build in the extra transit time rather than assuming a same-week local result.

Meeting United Kingdom's entry requirements

The requirements for United Kingdom are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.

Advice worth following

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.

Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.

Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Namibia doesn’t appear on either of GB’s Part 1 or Part 2 listed-country tables, so it’s treated as unlisted. A rabies titre test, a 3-calendar-month wait counted from the blood draw date, and a GB Pet Health Certificate are required, not just a vaccination record. Source: GOV.UK, ‘Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain,’ 2026.

Yes, required by the UK side of the move rather than Namibia’s own export rules. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and it’s usually tested at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in Pretoria since Namibia has no equivalent domestic lab.

No. Every booking connects through Johannesburg (Airlink to British Airways) or Frankfurt (Discover Airlines), since Air Namibia ceased operating in 2021 and its planned successor hadn’t launched by mid-2026.

Around 18 to 24 weeks from a standing start, driven by the 30-day pre-titre wait and Great Britain’s fixed 3-month post-titre wait, plus lab transit time to Pretoria.

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Airline guides

Airlink
British Airways
Discover Airlines

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Pet Transport from Namibia to the United Kingdom

The import process, in full

What your pet needs

Carriers on this route

What this route typically costs

Critical points

Meeting United Kingdom's entry requirements

Advice worth following

Common questions

Move your pet

Airline guides

Breed guides

Get a free pet transport quote