Pet Transport from Canada to Ivory Coast

Moving a dog or cat from Canada to Ivory Coast is very doable with the right preparation. Expect around 10-14 weeks of lead time to line up the documents and the fixed waiting …

10-14 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

High

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

10-14 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

High

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Canada to Ivory Coast typically takes around 10-14 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets. A rabies titre test is not required.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The import process, in full

5-6 weeks before travel is comfortable.

Rabies vaccination given or booster confirmed, dated between 30 days and 12 months before travel.

Responsible: Canadian vet

Alongside the vaccination appointment.

Microchip fitted, even though it's only recommended, since every downstream document references it.

Responsible: Canadian vet

8-10 weeks before travel, allowing for a slow reply.

Import permit application and a copy of the rabies certificate emailed to DSV's addresses.

Responsible: Owner or a Cote d'Ivoire-based agent

Within 10 days of travel, plus translation time.

CFIA-accredited health certificate completed and endorsed if required, then translated into French or accompanied by a certified translation.

Responsible: Accredited vet, then a certified translator

6-8 weeks before travel.

Book Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca, or Air France via Paris, through to Abidjan.

Responsible: Owner or agent

Day of travel.

Travel day: present the DSV import permit, translated health certificate and vaccination record at check-in.

Responsible: Owner and the airline's cargo or check-in staff

On landing.

Arrival inspection at Port Bouet International Airport, Abidjan.

Responsible: Ivorian veterinary officials

Checklist

What your pet needs

Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.

Microchip

Recommended rather than strictly mandatory for entry, though every downstream document ends up referencing the microchip number, so fitting a 15-digit chip meeting ISO Standard 11784/11785 is worth doing regardless.

Rabies vaccination

Required, dated between 30 days and 12 months before entry. Where a primary dose or booster falls outside the previous vaccination's validity period, an additional 21-day wait after the new dose applies.

Rabies titre test

Not required. Cote d'Ivoire doesn't ask for a rabies antibody titre test from any country of origin, Canada included. This is the direct opposite of the CDC's own rules for a Cote d'Ivoire-origin dog entering the US, where the country's place on the CDC's high-risk list makes a titre test, or a 28-day quarantine instead, mandatory. Canada's own CFIA classifies Cote d'Ivoire as high-risk too, but that classification runs the other direction, governing entry into Canada, not entry into Cote d'Ivoire.

Quarantine

No quarantine for a pet arriving with compliant documentation. Veterinary services at the airport can place an animal under observation if paperwork is incomplete or disease is suspected, but that's a holding check rather than a fixed quarantine period.

Import permit

Required, issued by DSV (Direction des Services Veterinaires) under MIRAH, by email rather than through an online system. The completed application form and a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate go to carv.dsvci@gmail.com and dsv.sdsa2017@gmail.com. No turnaround time is published.

Health certificate

Health certificate completed close to travel, 5 to 10 days before arrival depending on the airline, required to be in French or accompanied by a certified French translation before officials will accept it on arrival at Port Bouet International Airport, Abidjan.

Export permit

No CFIA export permit required for a personal pet leaving Canada.

Health certificate

Health certificate issued by a CFIA District Veterinarian or an accredited Canadian vet, endorsed by CFIA if the destination requires it.

We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Canada to Ivory Coast move gets missed.

Pet Transport Global

Airlines

Carriers on this route

Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.

Ethiopian Airlines

Connects Toronto to Addis Ababa nonstop, roughly seven times a week, then on to Abidjan on Ethiopian's own daily service. A single-carrier network end to end once past the first sector.

Cabin and Cargo

Royal Air Maroc

Runs a near-daily nonstop Montreal to Casablanca service, continuing to Abidjan on the airline's own aircraft. Cabin pets are capped at 8kg including the carrier, and brachycephalic breeds are excluded from both cabin and hold.

Cabin and Cargo

Air France

Reaches Paris-Charles de Gaulle from Montreal and Toronto, connecting to up to two daily flights onward to Abidjan. Snub-nosed breeds are excluded from the hold.

Cabin and Cargo

Costs

What this route typically costs

Vet exam and health certificate: CAD 200-400

Certified French translation of the health certificate: CAD 70-160

DSV import permit, fee not published: budget CAD 70-200 in agent time chasing the two email addresses

IATA-compliant travel crate: CAD 130-450

Cargo or hold fare, a Canadian gateway to Abidjan via Addis Ababa, Casablanca or Paris: CAD 2,200-4,300

Total typical range: CAD 2,700-5,500

Critical points

This route runs opposite to Canada's own rules for the reverse direction. Cote d'Ivoire doesn't require a titre test coming in, but the same pet flying back into Canada would run into CFIA's high-risk classification for Cote d'Ivoire, a separate system with its own considerations.

The import permit runs through two DSV email addresses, not a portal. Send the application and rabies certificate copy at least 8-10 weeks ahead and follow up directly if there's no response within a couple of weeks.

The health certificate needs to be in French or carry a certified translation. A CFIA-endorsed, English-only certificate risks rejection on arrival without it.

Snub-nosed breeds face restrictions or exclusion from the hold on every carrier covering this route. Confirm your pet's breed against each airline's policy before booking.

What Ivory Coast requires

The requirements for Ivory Coast are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.

Avoiding the common mistakes

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.

Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.

If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Cote d’Ivoire doesn’t require a titre test from any country of origin, including Canada. This is the opposite of Canada’s own CFIA rules for the reverse journey, where Cote d’Ivoire’s high-risk classification governs a pet entering Canada, not one leaving it.

Send the completed application form and a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate by email to DSV’s two addresses, carv.dsvci@gmail.com and dsv.sdsa2017@gmail.com. No fixed turnaround time is published, so apply at least 8-10 weeks before travel.

Yes. Ivorian officials expect the certificate in French, or accompanied by a certified French translation, before accepting it on arrival at Port Bouet International Airport. Budget translation time and a fee on top of the standard vet and endorsement process.

Toronto via Ethiopian Airlines’ Addis Ababa nonstop, and Montreal via Royal Air Maroc’s Casablanca nonstop, both keep the pet on a single carrier’s network from Canada to Abidjan with one connection. Air France via Paris is a third option from a wider range of Canadian departure cities.

No, provided the pet arrives with a compliant rabies vaccination, a DSV-issued import permit and a French or French-translated health certificate. Veterinary services may hold an animal for observation if the paperwork is incomplete or disease is suspected, but this isn’t a fixed quarantine period.

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Airline guides

Ethiopian Airlines
Royal Air Maroc
Air France

Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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Pet Transport from Canada to Ivory Coast

The import process, in full

What your pet needs

Carriers on this route

What this route typically costs

Critical points

What Ivory Coast requires

Avoiding the common mistakes

Common questions

Move your pet

Airline guides

Breed guides

Get a free pet transport quote