Pet Transport from Canada to Senegal

If you are relocating a pet from Canada to Senegal, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Give yourself close to 8-11 weeks so none of the fixed waiting periods …

8-11 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

Moderate

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

8-11 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

Moderate

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Canada to Senegal typically takes around 8-11 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

Before, or alongside, the rabies vaccination.

ISO microchip implanted.

Responsible: Canadian vet

21+ days before travel.

Rabies vaccination given, at least 21 days before travel if this is the primary dose.

Responsible: Canadian vet

Shortly before travel.

Parasite treatment for internal (including Echinococcus multilocularis) and external parasites.

Responsible: Canadian vet

A few weeks before travel, not too far in advance.

Apply to Senegal's DSV for the Import Authorisation, timed so its 3-month validity covers the actual travel date.

Responsible: Owner or agent

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.

Responsible: Owner, via CFIA regional office

2-5 business days for processing.

CFIA officially endorses the export certificate.

Responsible: CFIA regional office

As early as the Import Authorisation timeline allows.

Cargo or cabin booking confirmed with Royal Air Maroc, Air France or Turkish Airlines.

Responsible: Owner or agent

On landing.

Arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS); Import Authorisation, certificate and vaccination record checked against the animal.

Responsible: DSV 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

Required. ISO 11784/11785 microchip, recorded as part of the pet's import documentation set alongside the vaccination and health certificate.

Rabies vaccination

Required. For a primary vaccination, given not less than 21 days before travel. Additional core vaccines (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus for dogs; feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukaemia for cats) are also expected.

Rabies titre test

Not required. A pet arriving from Canada does not need a rabies antibody titre test to enter Senegal.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine is imposed. Officials can hold an animal if its documentation is incomplete or doesn't match what's presented at the airport.

Import permit

A separate Import Authorisation is required from Senegal's Directorate of Veterinary Services (DSV), part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. Valid for 3 months from the date of issue, so time the application against your actual travel window rather than applying too far ahead.

Health certificate

The CFIA-endorsed export certificate, alongside the pet's own vaccination record, is checked on arrival. Both are required as separate documents.

Export permit

No standalone export permit for a personal pet. Senegal's own import rule expects a CFIA-endorsed certificate rather than a vet's signature alone.

Veterinary inspection

A clinical examination by a CFIA-accredited veterinarian, confirming the pet is fit to travel and meets Senegal's stated health conditions.

Health certificate

A CFIA-accredited vet completes the certificate, then an official CFIA veterinarian endorses it at a booked regional office appointment. CFIA cannot endorse a certificate once the pet has left Canada, so this has to happen before departure. Processing typically runs 2 to 5 business days. Source: CFIA, Pets: Export certificates, inspection.canada.ca, 2026.

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

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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.

Royal Air Maroc

Runs a direct Montreal-Casablanca service around eight times a week, one of the stronger single-connection options into West Africa from any Canadian city, feeding onward Royal Air Maroc flights to Dakar. Confirm live animal cargo booking directly, since this is handled through the airline's cargo desk rather than the standard passenger flow.

Cargo Only

Air France

Direct Toronto or Montreal to Paris CDG, connecting to around 14 weekly Paris-Dakar flights codeshared with Air Senegal. Small pets in cabin under 8kg including carrier; larger animals via Air France Cargo, an established live animal carrier accepting pets in the hold up to 75kg combined with container.

Cabin and Cargo

Turkish Airlines

Direct Toronto-Istanbul service, connecting onward via Turkish Cargo's dedicated live animal facility. A longer routing than the Casablanca or Paris options, useful when either is fully booked.

Cargo Only

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

Parasite treatment: CAD 25-60

Senegal DSV Import Authorisation: fee not published on the DSV's own channels; budget for agent or vet time to prepare the application rather than a fixed government charge, and confirm the current position directly before applying

IATA-compliant travel crate: CAD 100-350

Cargo agent handling for the export booking: CAD 700-1,500

Air cargo Toronto or Montreal to Dakar via Casablanca, Paris or Istanbul: CAD 1,300-3,000 depending on crate size and season

Total typical range: CAD 2,400-5,500

Critical points

Senegal's Import Authorisation is only valid for 3 months from issue. Apply too early and it can expire before you travel; apply too late and there's no time to fix a rejected application. Time it against a confirmed flight date, not a rough travel window.

Dakar's commercial airport changed in December 2017. Older guides and some general pet travel sites still reference Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport, which now handles mostly cargo, charter and military flights. Confirm your booking and any ground arrangements reference Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS).

CFIA cannot endorse the export certificate once the pet has left Canada. Book the regional office appointment well before departure and time it against the DSV Import Authorisation's 3-month window.

No routine quarantine applies, but officials can hold an animal at the airport if its documents don't match what's expected. Carry both the DSV Import Authorisation and the CFIA-endorsed certificate as separate papers, not assuming one covers the other.

Senegal import rules, explained

Senegal has a clear set of import requirements that are manageable with some planning. Follow them in order and keep an eye on the dates that cannot move.

Practical tips for this move

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.

Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Senegal does not require a rabies antibody titre test from a pet arriving with a CFIA-endorsed certificate and a current rabies vaccination, given at least 21 days before travel for a primary dose.

It’s a separate entry permit issued by Senegal’s Directorate of Veterinary Services (DSV), required in addition to Canada’s own CFIA-endorsed certificate. It’s valid for 3 months from the date of issue, so apply once your travel date is confirmed rather than well in advance.

Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), which replaced the older Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport for scheduled commercial flights in December 2017. The older airport now handles mostly cargo, charter and military traffic, though some pet travel guides still reference it as current.

Not nonstop, but Royal Air Maroc’s direct Montreal-Casablanca service, running roughly eight times a week, connects onward to Dakar on the same airline, a genuinely fast single-connection option. Air France via Paris and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are the alternatives.

No. CFIA states plainly that it cannot endorse a certificate once the animal is no longer in Canada. Time this appointment against the same confirmed flight date used for Senegal’s own Import Authorisation application.

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Airline guides

Royal Air Maroc
Air France
Turkish Airlines

Breed guides

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Pet Transport from Canada to Senegal

The import process, in full

What your pet needs

Carriers on this route

What this route typically costs

Critical points

Senegal import rules, explained

Practical tips for this move

Common questions

Move your pet

Airline guides

Breed guides

Get a free pet transport quote