Pet Transport in Vancouver, BC

Vancouver’s mild coastal climate is one less thing to worry about; there is no long deep-freeze or heat season that forces a pet off most flights. That gives us flexibility to pick the calmest routing and the best departure time from YVR. We still watch the forecast at the destination, which may be less forgiving.

Most Vancouver-area pets depart from Vancouver International (YVR), a major connecting hub with routes across the country and overseas. Its direct routes often mean fewer connections, which makes for a shorter trip for your pet. We handle the check-in timing and the airline’s crate and booking rules so the airport day stays calm and predictable.

We coordinate travel for dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, and select reptiles or exotics from Vancouver, whenever airline and destination rules allow. Each species has its own requirements, and snub-nosed breeds and older pets get extra planning around routing and the weather.

Pet travel runs on health paperwork. For a move within Canada a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian is usually enough; for international moves the destination sets the requirements and the export certificate must be endorsed by the CFIA, often on a strict timeline. We map the vet visits and CFIA steps for your Vancouver move so nothing expires at the wrong moment.

We arrange pickups across Vancouver and nearby communities like Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, North Vancouver, and we coordinate pet moves throughout British Columbia and the rest of Canada through our service areas. We also coordinate moves in nearby Victoria.

Every Vancouver move is priced on its own, because the route, airline fees, your pet’s size and crate, the season, and the destination’s rules all change the total. Tell us where and when, and we’ll put together an estimate: request a quote. For a closer look at what drives the price, see our guide to pet shipping costs in Canada.

For real numbers, our Canadian pet shipping cost guide puts a typical full-service cargo move for a larger dog at $2,000 to $3,500 CAD, and our pet shipping cost calculator itemises the government fees route by route.

YVR has eight full-service pet relief areas after security, on the A/B, C, D and E piers and at the South Terminal, including one across from gate C29 and one across from gate D72. Before security there is an outdoor relief area outside International Arrivals at the entrance to Chester Johnson Park. Give your pet a break before check-in, since animals stay in their carriers inside the terminal. The airport lists every location on its animal relief areas page.

Yes. The crate is one of the most important parts of a safe flight, so we size it to your pet and to the airline’s rules, which set the dimensions, ventilation and labelling a carrier will accept. For Vancouver pets we confirm the crate well before travel so there are no surprises at YVR, and we share acclimation steps early so the crate feels familiar by travel day.

It is smart to have an emergency number saved for travel week. Vancouver has several hospitals open around the clock: Canada West Veterinary Specialists on Kootenay Street, the Vancouver Animal Emergency and Referral Centre on Alberta Street, and Burrard Animal Hospital and Emergency, which runs 24/7 walk-in care.