Pet Import to Canada

Every requirement below is taken from an official government page, and each one links to the page it comes from. The rules were last checked on 2 October 2026. They can change, so check the linked page again before you book.

Who is in charge

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates the import of animals, including dogs; the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) inspects at the border on CFIA's behalf and may refuse entry or refer the animal to CFIA.
  Information for individuals thinking of buying or adopting a dog, dog breeders and rescue organizations, checked 1 October 2026
• CBSA inspects at the border for CFIA and can refuse entry to a non-compliant animal or refer it to CFIA.
  Information for individuals thinking of buying or adopting a dog, dog breeders and rescue organizations, checked 1 October 2026

Where your pet travels from

• CFIA recognises a short list of rabies-free countries (Australia, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom). The page says the list is under review (page dated 2024-09-20). Applies to dogs and cats.
  Countries recognized as rabies free for domestic cats and dogs, checked 1 October 2026
• CFIA keeps a separate list of countries at high risk for dog rabies (page modified 2025-03-13). India and the UAE are on it; the United States is not. The list drives the commercial dog ban. Applies to commercial dogs; personal pets for reference.
  Countries at high-risk for dog rabies, checked 1 October 2026

Import permit

• Commercial dogs under 8 months (for example for resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show or research) may only be imported under a Ministerial permit (paragraph 12(1)(a) of the Health of Animals Regulations); the personal pet dog rules in the reference document do not apply to them. Applies to commercial dogs under 8 months.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Since 28 September 2022 commercial dogs from countries CFIA lists as high-risk for dog rabies are refused entry and no import permits are issued for them. Applies to commercial dogs (resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show, research) from high-risk dog rabies countries.
  Information for individuals thinking of buying or adopting a dog, dog breeders and rescue organizations, checked 1 October 2026
• Not required: CFIA's pet import tool lists everything a personal pet dog (8 months or older, from a country not free of rabies) needs on arrival, and no import permit is on the list; none of the tool's other personal dog or cat lists (every age and origin) includes a permit either. A permit application is used only to ask for a medical exemption from rabies vaccination, or for an F1 to F4 hybrid (see banned_or_restricted_breeds).
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Microchip

• Not required: Canada does not require a microchip or tattoo for personal pet dogs or for cats. Exceptions on the same page: commercial dogs under 8 months must be microchipped; a pet cat imported under a rabies medical exemption and a pet F1 to F4 hybrid dog or cat must be identified by microchip or legible tattoo; and the vet letter for a dog's rabies medical exemption must give its microchip or tattoo number.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Rabies vaccination

• Dogs from countries not designated rabies-free must either carry a valid rabies vaccination certificate in English or French from a licensed vet in the country of origin that identifies the dog and shows current vaccination, or meet one of the listed alternatives (RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml, or a CFIA vaccination order on arrival). Applies to dogs 3 months and older from countries not on the rabies-free list.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Dogs under 3 months at import need no rabies vaccination and no rabies-free country certification. Applies to dogs under 3 months.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Cats 3 months or older need a veterinarian's certificate, in English or French, showing current rabies vaccination, unless the certificate instead shows one of the alternatives in the next entry (6 months' residence in a CFIA-designated rabies-free country, or an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml). This corrects the old directory, which said cats need no rabies vaccination. Applies to cats 3 months and older.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• The cat certificate must show that the cat is currently vaccinated against rabies, or that it is imported from a designated rabies-free country where it was living for the 6 months immediately before entry, or (alternative) an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken at least 30 days after any prior vaccination, with the lab report accompanying the cat. Applies to cats 3 months and older.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Cats under 3 months have no import restrictions. Applies to cats under 3 months.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• If a dog does not meet the rabies conditions, a CFIA inspector can order it vaccinated within a set period at the owner's expense. Applies to non-compliant dogs.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Dogs must have been at least 3 months old when vaccinated against rabies, and the certificate must be in English or French (or carry an official translation). Applies to dogs from countries not free of rabies.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• The rabies certificate must state how long the vaccination is valid; if it does not, CFIA treats it as valid for 1 year from the date of vaccination. The vaccination must therefore still be valid on arrival. Applies to dogs and cats from countries not free of rabies.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• An EU pet passport is accepted in place of the rabies vaccination certificate if it contains all the required details. Applies to dogs and cats with an EU pet passport.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Not listed: CFIA's pet import tool (read in Chrome 2 October 2026) lists what a personal pet dog needs on arrival (a valid rabies vaccination certificate, or a rabies country-freedom certificate where allowed, and that the dog appears healthy and meets humane transport rules) and the elements the certificate must show (vaccinated at 3 months or older, date, vaccine, validity); no waiting period between vaccination and import is listed for personal pet dogs or cats. The 28-day wait after vaccination in CFIA's rules for commercial dogs under 8 months (breeding and resale, including adoption) does not apply to personal pets.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Rabies titre test

• The reference document lists a rabies neutralising antibody titre test (RNATT) of at least 0.5 IU/ml as one of the alternative ways for a dog to meet the rabies condition. It is not a general requirement. Applies to dogs 3 months and older (alternative to the vaccination certificate).
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• The same RNATT alternative (at least 0.5 IU/ml) is listed for cats. Applies to cats 3 months and older (alternative to the vaccination certificate).
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026

Health certificate

• Pet dogs under 8 months travelling without their owner need a signed veterinary certificate, and must be imported within 72 hours of the examination. Applies to pet dogs under 8 months not accompanied by the owner.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• The unaccompanied young dog certificate must bear the vet's signature and legibly handwritten name. Applies to pet dogs under 8 months not accompanied by the owner.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Not required: an owner-accompanied personal pet dog (8 months or older) needs only a valid rabies vaccination certificate and to look healthy on arrival; no separate health certificate is listed. The 72-hour Veterinary Certificate of Health applies only to unaccompanied dogs under 8 months. Applies to owner-accompanied personal pet dogs and all cats.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Cats 3 months or older from a country not free of rabies need only a valid rabies vaccination certificate; no health certificate is listed. Applies to cats 3 months or older.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Other vaccines and tests

• Unaccompanied pet dogs under 8 months must have been vaccinated, at 6 weeks or older, for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Applies to pet dogs under 8 months not accompanied by the owner.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026

Parasite treatment

• Not required: CFIA's full arrival list for personal pet dogs and for cats contains no parasite treatment.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Quarantine

• Pet dogs from any country are not quarantined after import into Canada.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Not required for cats: CFIA's full arrival list for cats 3 months or older is a valid rabies vaccination certificate (or, from a rabies-free country, a veterinary certificate); no quarantine is listed.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Arrival points and notice

• CFIA does not list designated pet entry ports. CBSA does the documentary check at the border; if a CFIA inspection is needed, a CFIA inspector is not always on duty, so the importer must book it in advance with the CFIA district office nearest the first point of entry.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• The importer is responsible for contacting CFIA before travel where an inspection is required. Applies to dogs and cats needing CFIA inspection.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Minimum age

• Unaccompanied pet dogs under 8 months must be at least 8 weeks old when examined by the vet. Applies to pet dogs under 8 months not accompanied by the owner.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Not required: owner-accompanied personal pet dogs under 3 months may enter with proof of age from a vet (no rabies vaccination). The 8-week minimum applies only to unaccompanied dogs under 8 months. Applies to owner-accompanied personal pet dogs under 3 months.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Cats under 3 months need proof of age only. Applies to cats under 3 months.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

How many pets

• Per USDA APHIS guidance for dogs going from the US to Canada (last modified 30 July 2025), used because CFIA's and CBSA's own pages (pet import tool, reference document, travelling with pets pages, CBSA animals page) state no number: APHIS lists two or fewer pet dogs accompanied by their owner as one of several alternative categories for which proof of rabies vaccination is all that is required; the same list also covers any dog older than 8 months with no number attached. APHIS describes its rules for dogs under 8 months (accompanied or not) as applying to shipments of 1 to 2 dogs. The 2-dog figure is a category in APHIS guidance, not a stated maximum, and no official page gives a number for cats. CFIA defines a personal pet dog by purpose, not number. Confirm with CFIA before one owner moves more than 2 dogs under 8 months. Applies to pet dogs from the United States (no official page gives a number for other origins or for cats).
  Pet Travel From the United States to Canada, checked 2 October 2026

Banned and restricted breeds

• A hybrid dog or cat purchased for import as a pet is not permitted entry (CFIA examples: Savannah cats, Bengal cats, wolf-dog crosses). CFIA treats generations F5 and above as domestic, so they follow the normal pet rules. Generations F1 to F4 are treated as wild: a pet F1 to F4 hybrid owned for at least 6 months and personally accompanied by the owner may be considered case by case, needs an import permit (written request to the National Centre for Permissions with CITES permits, rabies certificate and microchip or tattoo), and evaluation takes at least 3 months. Check any Bengal or Savannah cat before quoting.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Not required at federal level: CFIA's arrival list for personal pet dogs has no breed restriction (apart from the hybrid dog and cat rules in the entry above). Provincial and municipal rules can still apply (see Ontario).
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Ontario provincial law (Dog Owners' Liability Act, e-Laws currency date 29 September 2026 when read on 2 October 2026) bans owning, breeding and importing pit bulls into Ontario. Applies to dogs moving to Ontario.
  Dog Owners' Liability Act (did not load), checked 1 October 2026
• Under the Ontario Act, pit bull includes pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers and dogs substantially similar in appearance. Applies to dogs moving to Ontario.
  Dog Owners' Liability Act (did not load), checked 1 October 2026
• An Ontario owner of a restricted pit bull who leaves Ontario with the dog and comes back within three months is not treated as importing it. Applies to Ontario residents returning with a restricted pit bull.
  Dog Owners' Liability Act (did not load), checked 1 October 2026

How your pet may travel

• Different rules apply to young pet dogs depending on whether the owner travels with them: owner-accompanied dogs under 8 months follow the general rules for their origin. Applies to pet dogs under 8 months.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• CFIA sets no cabin, hold or cargo rule for pets; airlines set their own requirements, and CFIA points to the IATA Live Animals Regulations. Applies to dogs and cats travelling by air.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• A dog under 8 months travelling alone, or with a flight companion, family member or agent instead of the owner, counts as unaccompanied and must meet the unaccompanied rules. CFIA's pet import tool gives this instruction only in its results for personal dogs under 8 months; its results for dogs 8 months or older do not split by accompaniment. Applies to personal pet dogs under 8 months not travelling with the owner.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Official fees

• CBSA inspection fee for dogs, cats and ferrets (schedule updated 31 March 2026): C$36.95 for the first animal and C$6.16 for each additional animal in the shipment, plus GST/HST. These fees do not apply to animals arriving from the United States. Fees rise every 31 March. Applies to dogs and cats arriving from countries other than the US.
  Inspections and fees, checked 1 October 2026
• If an officer issues a vaccination order the fee is C$67.75 for the first animal and C$36.95 for each additional animal (schedule updated 31 March 2026), for arrivals from all countries including the US. GST/HST may be charged and cannot be claimed under the personal exemption. Applies to dogs and cats given a vaccination order, all origins.
  Inspections and fees, checked 1 October 2026
• Inspection fees and taxes cannot be set against a traveller's personal exemption. Applies to dogs and cats.
  Inspections and fees, checked 1 October 2026
• CBSA does a documentary inspection of every personal pet dog and pet cat. If the animal is referred to CFIA, extra CFIA inspection fees apply, payable at the time of inspection.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026

Other conditions

• Reference document: assistance dogs (guide, hearing or other service dogs) imported by and accompanying their user are not subject to import restrictions. CFIA's pet import tool (node/7059) is narrower: it exempts only dogs 8 months or older from rabies vaccination, and only if accompanied by their designated handler with documents showing training and certification by an Assistance Dogs International or International Guide Dog Federation accredited organisation; emotional support and therapy animals do not qualify. Applies to guide, hearing and other service dogs accompanied by their user.
  Import Reference Document (as referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 1 October 2026
• Travellers must declare all animals they bring into Canada. Applies to all travellers with pets.
  Pet imports, checked 1 October 2026
• A dog that does not meet the rules may be ordered removed from Canada and the owner may face fines or legal action (page modified 2026-01-09).
  Travelling with your dog, checked 1 October 2026
• CFIA treats only dogs, cats and ferrets as pets. Applies to all animals.
  Travelling with pets, checked 1 October 2026
• A personal pet dog must be imported by its owner, who must be able to prove ownership from before entry on request; otherwise it is a commercial dog.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• Personal pet dogs from countries at high risk for dog rabies follow the same rules as other countries not free of rabies (valid rabies certificate and healthy on arrival); the high-risk ban applies to commercial dogs only. No extra personal-dog rule was found in CFIA's current pet import tool. Applies to personal pet dogs from high-risk dog rabies countries.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• A dog (or cat) that cannot be vaccinated for a documented medical reason needs a written exemption request to CFIA's National Centre for Permissions, with a completed permit application, a vet's letter explaining the specific reason (age alone is not accepted) and an RNATT (FAVN) of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken within the 6 months before entry and at least 30 days after a previous rabies vaccination; a permit is issued only if results are satisfactory, so a never-vaccinated animal cannot qualify. Applies to dogs that cannot be vaccinated against rabies.
  Pet import tool content (results behind Bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets), checked 2 October 2026
• CBSA officers inspect animals at the border and can refuse entry, confiscate or detain an animal that is undeclared, lacks the necessary permits or certificates, is suspected of being sick, or is transported inhumanely (CBSA page modified 2024-06-27). Applies to all animals entering Canada.
  Travelling with animals, checked 1 October 2026