Ireland

✈️

Canada

Pet Transport from Ireland to Canada

Sourced facts for this journey

8 Oct 2026

Independently checked

✓ Managed

Full door-to-door service

Get a free quote →

Aer Lingus flies Dublin to Toronto daily, but no pet travels in its cabin, and DAFM says Dublin Airport Authority stopped allowing outbound pets as excess baggage on 19 July 2021. An owner-accompanied dog of 8 months or more from Ireland needs a rabies vaccination certificate or a Rabies Country-Freedom Certificate. Canada doesn't quarantine pet dogs.

Key facts: Ireland to Canada

Canada puts Ireland in its group “Countries recognized as rabies free”. Rabies-free origin; cats and dogs can meet the rabies condition by origin and residence instead of vaccination. List under review.
Official source
Rabies vaccination: 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
Export permit: Not required: DAFM's list of what an owner needs to travel or relocate out of the EU with a pet contains only contacting the destination for its certification requirements, following its health certificate instructions, contacting the Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months ahead, allowing time for tests and making sure the pet qualifies to return; no Irish export permit is listed. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ireland for non-EU countries.
Pet Travel (last updated 5 August 2026), checked 1 October 2026

Taken from official government pages, last checked 2 October 2026. Rules change, so open the linked page again before you book.

Start your journey

Get Your Free Quote

Enter your pet's details and route

Quotes are tailored to your specific journey.

Moving from *

Moving to *

Pet type *

Breed

Approx. weight (kg)

Preferred travel date

Your name *

Email *

Phone *

Additional details

No obligation. Your details are kept private and only used to arrange your pet's move.

Official rules on this page checked 2 October 2026

Prepared by Marcus Webb, Senior Pet Relocation Consultant

What does Ireland require for Canada before the flight?

CFIA's list of countries it currently recognises as free from rabies includes Ireland (Republic of), and CFIA says the list is under review.
Countries recognized as rabies free (CFIA), checked 7 October 2026
For a personal dog of 8 months or older from a rabies-free country, CFIA's pet import tool accepts either a valid rabies vaccination certificate or a valid Rabies Country-Freedom Certificate on arrival.
Pet import tool content (CFIA), checked 7 October 2026

Which airlines take pets from Ireland to Canada?

Aer Lingus's pet page says pets are carried in the aircraft hold and are not permitted in the cabin of any Aer Lingus aircraft.
Travelling with Pets (Aer Lingus), checked 7 October 2026
DAFM says that from 19 July 2021 Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) no longer allows pets to travel outbound from Dublin as excess baggage.
Pet Travel (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine), checked 7 October 2026
Air Canada's pet page says that if an itinerary includes a flight marketed by Air Canada but operated by a codeshare partner, the pet cannot travel with you.
Travelling with pets (Air Canada), checked 7 October 2026
Air Canada does not take short or snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dog breeds in the baggage compartment.
Travelling with pets (Air Canada), checked 7 October 2026
Air Canada accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo in the peak winter period listed on its page as 18 December to 4 January.
Travelling with pets (Air Canada), checked 7 October 2026

Where does the journey connect and land?

Aer Lingus's own Dublin to Toronto page lists a daily flight from Dublin to Toronto Pearson (YYZ).
Flights from Dublin (DUB) to Toronto (YYZ) (Aer Lingus), checked 7 October 2026
The same Aer Lingus page puts the direct Dublin to Toronto flight at around 7 hours 15 minutes.
Flights from Dublin (DUB) to Toronto (YYZ) (Aer Lingus), checked 7 October 2026

What do the published charges come to?

Air Canada's page lists a one-way charge for a pet in the cabin on international travel of CA/US $100 to $120.
Travelling with pets (Air Canada), checked 7 October 2026
Air Canada's page lists a one-way fee for a pet in the baggage compartment on international travel of CA/US $270 to $324, inclusive of any tax that applies (0 to 20 per cent).
Travelling with pets (Air Canada), checked 7 October 2026

These are published charges only, not the full cost of a move. Prices change with your pet's size and crate, the airline and routing, the season, fuel surcharges and exchange rates. Your quote may differ.

Which Canada rules depend on a pet coming from Ireland?

Canada sorts countries into 3 groups, and Ireland falls in “Countries recognized as rabies free”.

Rabies-free origin; cats and dogs can meet the rabies condition by origin and residence instead of vaccination. List under review. Official source

These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:

Rabies vaccination: 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

The rules that apply to every pet entering Canada, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our Canada guide.

What does Ireland require before your pet leaves?

Export permit: Not required: DAFM's list of what an owner needs to travel or relocate out of the EU with a pet contains only contacting the destination for its certification requirements, following its health certificate instructions, contacting the Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months ahead, allowing time for tests and making sure the pet qualifies to return; no Irish export permit is listed. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ireland for non-EU countries.
Pet Travel (last updated 5 August 2026), checked 1 October 2026
Export health certificate: For pets leaving Ireland for non-EU destinations, the private vet prepares the pet and the health certificate, then the owner takes it to the local Regional Veterinary Office (DAFM) for a government stamp and signature. DAFM does not hold destination requirements. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ireland for non-EU countries.
Pet Travel (last updated 5 August 2026), checked 1 October 2026
Export health certificate: Contact the Regional Veterinary Office at least two months before travel, or DAFM may not be able to sign. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Ireland for non-EU countries.
Pet Travel (last updated 5 August 2026), checked 1 October 2026

FAQ

Common questions

Not on Aer Lingus. Air Canada's page says a pet cannot travel with you if your itinerary includes a flight operated by a codeshare partner. Its published one-way charge for a pet in the cabin on international travel is CA/US $100 to $120, and CA/US $270 to $324 for the baggage compartment. Prices change with your pet's size and crate, the airline and routing, the season, fuel surcharges and exchange rates.

Canada's federal rules set no breed ban for pet dogs, but Ontario bans pit bulls.

CFIA lists Ireland (Republic of) among the countries it recognises as free from rabies, though the list is under review. A dog of 8 months or more then needs a valid rabies vaccination certificate or a valid Rabies Country-Freedom Certificate. An EU pet passport is accepted in place of the vaccination certificate if it contains all the required details.

Air Canada accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo between 18 December and 4 January, because of increased passenger and cargo loads in the peak winter travel period. Plan your flight date outside that window if your pet will travel in the baggage compartment.

Ready to book
Ireland to Canada?