Planning on emigrating from South Africa

[butterfly_Armada]

I am planning on emigrating from South Africa in the next 3-5 years. The problem is that I have 7 dogs.............my husky and lab are very old and unfortunately will not last another 5 years(additionally the husky has Spirocirca Lupi and my Lab has hip dysplasia in both hips so even if I did move they wouldn't be able to come with me and would stay behind with my family), my German Shepard is also getting on but lives with my parents as he is attached to my mother so he is also not an issue.........however my other 4 dogs would most definitely come with me, I have 2 shar pei puppies but my issue sits with my pit bull and boerboel (mastiff) x pit bull.......I have done some research and pit bull or pit bull crosses as well as mastiff breeds are banned from almost every country as far as I can ascertain. I would NEVER leave my kids behind but unfortunately staying in SA in the long term is rapidly becoming more and more impossible(personal safety and economic reasons)

What countries will allow pit bull and mastiff breeds to be imported?
and
Are individual countries bans on the importation of specific dog breeds limited to the purchase of the dog by a resident who brings the dog into the country or does the legislation include people immigrating to the country with a pre-existing ownership of a dog on the banned breeds list. or will they be willing to evaluate these dogs based on their temperament because they are already integrated into a family.

 

[Madeleinemom]

Speaking from my experience, I can share with you that Austria permits the import of Pit Bull type dogs that are accompanying their owners and my assumption would the same holds true for Boerbols and crosses thereof. You simply need to meet their vax, chip and health certs. Germany and the U.K., however, do not - total bans.
Where are you considering moving to?

 

[butterfly_Armada]

Where I am considering is quite complex as I am also a very serious competitive horse rider (show jumping)............my main choices are:
Canada(but coming from Africa the climate is a bit of an issue)
Australia(climate is similar but is very isolated with regards to equestrian competition)
New Zealand (even smaller than Australia)
US(Very difficult to get a Visa and the standard of living is exorbitant compared to what I grew up with, regarding the cost of keeping and competing horses as well as affording the space/land to keep as many dogs/animals as I am used to)

I'm not super keen on Europe but in a few years I may have to take what I can get, considering that this is the general sentiment towards white people from both the masses as well as the government..............

I would quote it directly but the spelling doesn't allow for easy reading, so here is the legible version............

"I want to cleanse this country of all white people. We must act as Hitler did to the jews"
"white people in Africa deserve to be hacked and killed like the jews"
"you must be burnt alive and skinned, your offspring used as garden fertilizer"

 

[Sagebrush]

I'm not super keen on Europe but in a few years I may have to take what I can get, considering that this is the general sentiment towards white people from both the masses as well as the government..............

I would quote it directly but the spelling doesn't allow for easy reading, so here is the legible version............

"I want to cleanse this country of all white people. We must act as Hitler did to the jews"
"white people in Africa deserve to be hacked and killed like the jews"
"you must be burnt alive and skinned, your offspring used as garden fertilizer"

I cannot say that I understand the politics and history of what happened to the white farmers in -- was it Zimbabwe? -- but, I received a call many years ago (probably around 2000) from someone in south Africa who was in a similar position as yours, butterfly Amanda. His call was about getting an American Staffordshire Terrier, but he went on to explain, in a very emotional way, what was happening to the farmers around him. I listened to the heart-breaking stories of these white farmers being tortured and killed after watching their animals being hacked to death -- and the farms seized. I do not know the extent of what happened or if it's really true -- it's just what this guy said. I get conflicting stories when I google to read more. It seems there definitely was a land grab by dictator Mugabe and many white farmers lost their lives when they refused to be run off their land. So, I do not dismiss what you, butterfly Amanda, have written here.

 

[Vicki]

New Zealand and Australia is out, the breeds are prohibited from importation.
Canada has some BSL in some provinces, Ontario and Manitoba, I believe.

 

[_unoriginal]

There are also some cities in USA and Canada that have bans such as Quebec City in Canada and Denver and Miami-Dade in USA.

I agree that Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Germany are out. As is Denmark (I believe).

Depending on where you end up in the US, you could find something very affordable with property for dogs and horses. It depends on your budget, of course. But you could even go for somewhere in the south where the climate would be similar to what you're used to.