Moving a pet from Canada to India takes careful planning, and every step is shaped by where in Canada you start and what India requires on arrival. From the CFIA export paperwork to the right airline, crate, and travel window, the details have to line up, and that is the part we take off your hands.
At Pet Travel Advisors, one coordinator manages the whole journey from your Canadian home to India: the routing through a major Canadian gateway such as Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, or Montréal-Trudeau, the timing around Canadian winters and India’s rules, and the documents that have to be exact. Tell us your city and your timing, and we will build the plan around your pet.
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because timelines, airline rules, and India’s entry requirements all affect each other, we build a plan that fits your pet and your move date.
We use India's official Animal Quarantine and Certification Service import rules as the baseline, then turn them into a simple checklist and timeline 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 India is a documented, permit-based process, with a quarantine officer examining your pet on arrival. The No Objection Certificate and, where needed, the DGFT licence drive the calendar, so we start early. If you would like a simple overview of international moves first, start here. Bringing a pet the other way, into Canada? 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 Canadian export side, we follow the CFIA guidance for Canada to India travel. For the entry rules, we follow the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service guidance.
Pets travel to India as manifest cargo to an approved airport with a quarantine office, and a quarantine officer examines your pet on arrival. The permits have to be arranged before travel, so we sequence them carefully against your route and date.
India allows up to two pets per passenger with the right documents and a quarantine officer’s examination on arrival. A No Objection Certificate from a quarantine centre is needed about fifteen days before travel, and many moves also need a DGFT licence, which can take around a month. Pets relocating permanently may have a short observation period, and transfer-of-residence moves require proof of time spent abroad. We check exactly which path applies to you at the start.
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.
Your pet will need an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given more than one month and within twelve months before travel, a CFIA-endorsed health certificate, a No Objection Certificate from an Indian quarantine centre arranged about fifteen days before travel, and, for many moves, a DGFT licence obtained before departure. We line these steps up in the right order and check that microchip numbers, dates, names, and signatures all match across the paperwork.
India needs a couple of months of planning because of the permits. A typical timeline runs like this: a consultation and a check of which permit path applies, the microchip and rabies vaccination, the DGFT licence where needed, with about a month allowed for it, the No Objection Certificate about fifteen days out, then booking the cargo route, getting the crate ready, the CFIA-endorsed health certificate, a document review, and travel.
Most pets heading to India depart from one of Canada’s major international gateways, Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), or Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), with Calgary (YYC) and Halifax (YHZ) serving some routes. We choose the routing with the fewest connections from your city and the best conditions for your pet.
On the Canadian side, your pet needs an export health certificate endorsed by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), prepared by a licensed veterinarian and submitted on India’s timeline. We handle the CFIA steps alongside India’s own import requirements so the two line up.
India requires an import permit arranged before travel, along with a microchip, rabies vaccination, and a health certificate; some cases also need a rabies titer test. We secure the permit and prepare the CFIA-endorsed documents on India’s schedule.
Canadian winters are the main scheduling factor: airlines apply cold-weather limits, so we plan around the season and the forecast at both ends, choosing departure windows that keep your pet safe.
Every move is priced individually, because the route from Canada, airline fees, your pet’s size and crate, the season, and India’s requirements all change the total. Tell us your city and timing and we’ll put together an estimate: request a quote.
One coordinator manages the whole move from your Canadian home: routing, airline booking, the crate, the CFIA export paperwork, India’s import requirements, and arrival. You get a single plan and a single point of contact from start to finish.
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