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Pet Transport from Canada to Moldova

Taking your dog or cat from Canada to Moldova comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Expect about 5-9 weeks. Nothing here is unusually complex, but the deadlines …

5-9 wks
Preparation needed
None
Quarantine on arrival
Moderate
Route complexity
Managed
Full door to door
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Lead time needed
5-9 weeks
Quarantine
None
Route complexity
Moderate
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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What's required
MicrochipISO 11784/11785 microchip required, …
Rabies vaccinationRequired, given at least 30 days before …
Rabies titre testNot required for a pet arriving from …
QuarantineNo quarantine for pets arriving with …
Import permitNo standalone import permit for a …
Health certificateThe CFIA-endorsed export certificate, …
In short: Preparing to move a pet from Canada to Moldova typically takes around 5-9 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets. A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step

The import process, in full

1
Before any rabies vaccination.
Microchip implanted, if not already fitted.

Responsible: Canadian vet

2
At least 30 days before travel; the standard 3-year vaccine is accepted, so a currently valid dose need not be repeated.
Rabies vaccination given, or a current booster confirmed.

Responsible: Canadian vet

3
4-6 weeks before travel.
Book routing via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Vienna (Austrian Airlines) or Warsaw (LOT Polish Airlines).

Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent

4
As early as possible; CFIA cannot endorse a certificate once the pet has left Canada.
Book a CFIA endorsement appointment and have the vet complete the certificate to Moldova's format.

Responsible: Owner, via CFIA regional office

5
2-5 business days for processing, longer in peak season.
CFIA officially endorses the export certificate.

Responsible: CFIA regional office

6
On landing.
Arrival inspection at Chisinau International Airport; certificate and microchip checked.

Responsible: ANSA 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
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination is given.
Rabies vaccination
Required, given at least 30 days before entry. Moldova recognises the standard 3-year rabies vaccine, so a currently valid Canadian vaccination record doesn't need repeating on an artificial annual cycle.
Rabies titre test
Not required for a pet arriving from Canada. Moldova, aligning its animal health rules with the EU framework as an accession candidate, exempts arrivals from any country listed in Annex II, Part 2 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 (now referenced as EU 2026/636). Canada carries its own listing on that Annex, independent of the UK's, so the exemption isn't borrowed from Britain's status: it applies to a Canadian pet on Canada's own merits. Confirm current status with ANSA before travel, since the underlying EU list is reviewed periodically.
Quarantine
No quarantine for pets arriving with complete, compliant documentation.
Import permit
No standalone import permit for a personal pet travelling with its owner. Non-commercial movements are capped at five animals per owner; a larger household move needs the commercial import process instead.
Health certificate
The CFIA-endorsed export certificate, examined by an ANSA veterinary official on arrival, is the document checked at the border.
Export permit
No standalone export permit for a personal pet. Moldova's own import rule expects a CFIA-endorsed certificate rather than a vet's signature on its own.
Veterinary inspection
A clinical examination by a CFIA-accredited veterinarian, confirming the pet is fit to travel and meets Moldova's stated entry conditions.
Health certificate
A CFIA-accredited vet completes the certificate to Moldova's format, then an official CFIA veterinarian endorses it at a booked appointment. CFIA cannot endorse a certificate once the pet has already left Canada, so this has to happen before departure, not after. Processing generally runs 2 to 5 business days depending on the regional office and season. Source: CFIA, Pets: Export certificates, inspection.canada.ca, 2026.
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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.

Turkish Airlines
Flies Toronto to Istanbul nonstop most days of the week, then a same-ticket connection on to Chisinau. Cabin pets under 8kg with carrier; brachycephalic breeds excluded from both cabin and hold since October 2021. Cargo hold via Turkish Cargo, using Istanbul's dedicated live animal facility for the transfer.
Cabin and Cargo
Austrian Airlines
Runs a direct Toronto-Vienna service around six times weekly, connecting onward to Chisinau on Austrian's own network. Cabin pets under 8kg with carrier. Hold pets up to 14kg per animal, maximum two per container, brachycephalic breeds excluded from the hold.
Cabin and Cargo
LOT Polish Airlines
Direct Toronto to Warsaw service, connecting to Chisinau. Cabin pets up to 8kg on suitable aircraft. Live animal cargo is booked through LOT Cargo and an approved shipping agent rather than the standard passenger booking flow.
Cabin and Cargo
Costs

What this route typically costs

CFIA-accredited vet certificate and CFIA endorsement: CAD 150-380
Microchip and rabies vaccination, if not already current: CAD 60-130
IATA-compliant travel crate: CAD 100-350
Cargo or cabin fee, Toronto to Chisinau via Istanbul, Vienna or Warsaw: CAD 900-2,600 depending on crate size and carrier
Pet transport agent fee, recommended for a first-time move: CAD 400-900
Total typical range: CAD 1,600-3,800

Critical points

CFIA cannot endorse the export certificate once the pet has already left Canada. Book the regional office appointment well before departure rather than assuming it can be arranged at short notice.

Moldova's titre-test exemption rests on Canada's own place on the EU's Annex II list, a classification set at EU level and reviewed periodically. Confirm the current position with ANSA close to travel rather than treating this page as permanent.

Non-commercial pet movements into Moldova are capped at five animals per owner. A larger household move needs the commercial import route instead, with different documentation.

What Moldova requires

Getting a pet into Moldova is a middle of the road process. The rules are well defined, so most of the work is simply staying on schedule.

Avoiding the common mistakes

Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

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

FAQ

Common questions

No. Canada is listed in its own right on Annex II, Part 2 of the EU’s Implementing Regulation No 577/2013, and Moldova, aligning its rules with the EU framework as an accession candidate, extends that exemption to Canadian arrivals. A microchip, a 30-day wait after rabies vaccination and the CFIA-endorsed certificate cover the requirement.
No. CFIA states plainly that it cannot endorse a certificate once the animal is no longer in Canada. Book the regional office appointment before departure, since processing takes 2 to 5 business days and appointment slots can be limited.
Yes. Moldova recognises the 3-year rabies vaccination, so a currently valid Canadian vaccine doesn’t need repeating or replacing with an annual booster purely for this move.
Non-commercial pet movements are capped at five animals per owner. A larger number needs the commercial import process instead, which carries separate documentation requirements.
No, but Toronto flies nonstop to all three hubs that connect onward to Chisinau: Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, Vienna with Austrian Airlines, and Warsaw with LOT Polish Airlines. All three complete the journey on a single ticket from the hub.
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Airline guides
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Austrian Airlines
  • LOT Polish Airlines
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