US Embassy in SA Explains Whether Refugees Can Take Pets to the United States
- The US Embassy in South Africa posted important guidance for South Africans resettling in the United States
- The embassy posted information regarding the US Refugee Admissions Program's (USRAP) stance on pets
- Many South Africans have settled in the US following President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14204
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Source: UGC
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG - The US Embassy in South Africa has shared practical guidance for South Africans preparing to resettle in the United States through the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), specifically addressing what happens to their pets.
The embassy's post, shared on 9 November on its official X account @USEmbassySA, was directed at South Africans being processed under the programme, which was established following President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14204, signed on 7 February 2025.
The order directed the US to allow Afrikaner South Africans and members of racial minorities refugee status in the country if they could demonstrate past or feared race-based persecution.
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The programme has processed thousands of South Africans since 2025. The South African government has disputed the characterisation of systematic race-based persecution underpinning the US policy.
What USRAP says about pets
According to the embassy, the programme cannot fund or assist with any travel arrangements for pets or emotional support animals.
Refugees are strongly encouraged to wait a minimum of 90 days after arriving in the United States before making arrangements to bring their animals over. The embassy also flagged that owning pets could narrow housing options in the US, and that pet deposits or recurring monthly pet fees are not covered by resettlement support funds.
Once refugees are more settled, they may organise for their pets to join them, but entirely at their own cost. The embassy cautioned that strict US import regulations apply and that the process can be both expensive and time-consuming.
Other stories about why Afrikaners were accepted into the USA
- Donald Trump deleted a tweet claiming that South Africa was a dangerous place.
- The US president offered citizenship to farmers and their families if they don’t feel safe in South Africa.
- Trump claimed that South Africa had a policy of exterminating people, which is why he would not attend the G20.
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Source: Briefly News
