Bringing a pet to Canada means meeting the CFIA’s entry rules and getting the timing and documents right before your pet ever boards. The exact requirements depend on the species and the country your pet is travelling from, and lining all of it up is the part we take off your hands.
At Pet Travel Advisors, one coordinator manages the whole arrival, from the routing into a major Canadian gateway to the rabies and health paperwork and the border requirements. Tell us where your pet is coming from and when, and we will build the plan around your pet.
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because timelines, airline rules, and Canada’s entry requirements all affect each other, we build a plan that fits your pet and your move date.
We use Canada's official CFIA import rules as the baseline, then turn them into a simple checklist you can follow.
We help choose practical routes, travel windows, and handoff procedures so your pet’s trip is safer and more predictable.
Pet Travel Advisors assigns a move coordinator who keeps you updated and checks details before travel so nothing important is missed.
Moving a pet to Canada is a simple, well-defined process overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, with a document and health check at the border on arrival. If you would like a simple overview of international moves first, start here. Bringing a pet the other way, into another country? See our US import guide.
To keep everything clear, we break the process into steps:
We confirm what rules apply based on your pet and travel details.
We map out what happens when, so steps are completed in the right order.
We help keep appointments and timing aligned with what’s required.
We check the details that cause delays (microchip digits, dates, names, signatures).
We help align crate setup and routing with airline handling expectations.
We guide you on travel-day handoff and what to expect on arrival.
We keep your checklist aligned with the official rules. For the US export side, we follow the CFIA guidance for US to Canada travel. For the Canada entry rules, we follow the Canadian Food Inspection Agency guidance on importing animals.
Pets travel to Canada by air as cargo or in cabin where an airline allows it, or across the land border, and all pets are declared to the Canada Border Services Agency on arrival. We confirm the best practical route and make sure the documents match the entry point.
Pet dogs and cats from abroad are not placed in quarantine in Canada. Officers check the rabies vaccination and do a quick visual health exam at the border, and a pet showing signs of illness can be held, so we keep the paperwork and your pet’s records in order.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether airline policies affect travel. Most moves are dogs and cats, though we handle other pets too, and the requirements can differ by species. Eligibility can come down to your pet’s type and health, airline rules for certain breeds or conditions, the documentation and timing, and which routes are available. Ready to start? Request a quote.
Dogs and cats over three months old need a valid rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed veterinarian, showing vaccination within the last three years. Canada does not require a microchip for personal pet imports, though most airlines do, so we usually recommend one. Puppies and kittens under three months are exempt from the rabies requirement. We check that names, dates, and vaccination details all match across the paperwork.
Canada is one of the quicker moves to arrange once the rabies vaccination is current. A typical timeline runs like this: a consultation and a check of your pet’s records, the rabies vaccination if it is not current, a microchip if your airline needs one, then booking the route, getting the crate ready, any health paperwork your airline asks for, a document review, and travel.
Canada’s requirements depend on the animal and where it is coming from. Dogs and cats need proof of a current rabies vaccination (dogs older than three months), and dogs from some countries face extra documentation and inspection. The CFIA sets the rules and checks pets on arrival, and we prepare the paperwork to match.
Canada does not have routine quarantine for dogs and cats arriving with correct documentation; pets are inspected at the airport or border instead. If paperwork is missing or a pet is coming from a high-risk country, extra steps can apply, which is exactly what we plan around.
Pets commonly arrive through Canada’s major gateways, Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), and Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), with Calgary (YYC) and Halifax (YHZ) for some routes. We choose the entry point that gives the shortest, calmest trip to your final destination in Canada.
Most pets need a rabies vaccination certificate and a veterinary health certificate, and dogs may need additional import documentation depending on the origin country and the current CFIA and border rules. We assemble the full document set and confirm it before travel.
Every move is priced individually, because the origin, route, airline fees, your pet’s size and crate, and the documentation all affect the total. Tell us where your pet is coming from and when, and we’ll put together an estimate: request a quote.
One coordinator manages the whole arrival: routing into a Canadian gateway, the rabies and health documentation, the CFIA and border requirements, and onward transport to your home in Canada. You get a single plan and a single point of contact.
© 2026 Pet Travel Advisors. All rights reserved.
