Can I bring Pets to Canada?
Pets→Canada
⚠️ Restricted
📋 Carrying Limits
✅ Declaration Requirements
✅Required
📌 Quick Summary
🔗 Official Information Source:
📝 Important Notes
- •⚠️ RESTRICTED: Pets allowed with proper documentation and health requirements.
- •📋 Quick Summary:
- •Status: ⚠️ Restricted
- •Requirements: Dogs and cats 3 months or older need a veterinarian's rabies vaccination certificate (or an accepted alternative)
- •Quarantine: Pet dogs from any country are not subject to post-import quarantine
- •Declaration: Declare every animal, including family pets, at the border
- •Popular: Dogs and cats most common
- •CFIA: Canadian Food Inspection Agency oversees
- •💡 Tips:
- •Dogs/cats 3 months or older: veterinarian's certificate in English or French showing current rabies vaccination required
❓ More Questions
Can I bring my dog/cat to Canada?
YES, with requirements. Dogs and cats 3 months or older need a veterinarian's certificate in English or French showing current rabies vaccination. Accepted instead for cats: the veterinarian's certificate shows that the cat comes from a country Canada designates as rabies-free where it lived for the 6 months immediately before entry, or that it has a rabies antibody titre test (RNATT) of at least 0.5 IU/ml sampled at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination, with a laboratory report that identifies the cat and accompanies it. Accepted instead for dogs: from a country Canada designates as rabies-free, a veterinarian's certificate that identifies the dog and shows that rabies has not existed in that country for the 6 months before shipment and that the dog has been there for those 6 months or since birth; or an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml sampled at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination (at least three to four weeks after it for dogs from countries not designated rabies-free), with a laboratory report that identifies the dog and accompanies it. Pet dogs from any country are not subject to post-import quarantine. Declare your pet at the border.
Do I need a health certificate for my pet to enter Canada?
IT DEPENDS. Dogs and cats 3 months or older need a veterinarian's certificate in English or French showing current rabies vaccination, or an accepted alternative. A rabies antibody titre test is accepted only with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, from a sample taken at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination (at least three to four weeks after it for dogs from countries not designated rabies-free), and with a laboratory report that identifies the animal and accompanies it; for cats the veterinarian's certificate must also show the result. Pet dogs under 8 months not accompanied by their owner also need a veterinary examination certificate and must arrive within 72 hours of the examination. Kittens under 3 months have no import restrictions. Keep original documents.
Is there quarantine for pets entering Canada?
NO post-import quarantine for pet dogs from any country. Cats: no quarantine if from US with proper documents. The rabies documents accepted depend on whether the country of origin is designated rabies-free.
Can I bring a puppy/kitten under 3 months to Canada?
YES, with conditions. Kittens under 3 months are not subject to any import restrictions. Puppies under 3 months (too young for rabies vaccine) do not need rabies vaccination or rabies-free-country certification. A pet puppy under 8 months that is not accompanied by its owner needs a veterinarian's certificate stating that the puppy was examined and is at least 8 weeks old at the time of examination, free of clinical signs of disease, vaccinated no earlier than 6 weeks of age for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza, and able to be transported to Canada without undue suffering, and it must arrive within 72 hours of the examination. Contact CFIA before travel.
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