Moving a dog or cat from Madagascar to Canada is very doable with the right preparation. Around 7-11 weeks is typical, with a straightforward sequence to work through. No routine quarantine applies as …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Madagascar to Canada
typically takes around 7-11 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 Madagascar to Canada import process
01
Before booking travel.
Microchip implanted (ISO 11784/11785, 15-digit) and rabies vaccination given or booster confirmed.
Responsible: Vet in Antananarivo
02
Close to departure, once flights are booked.
DSV-endorsed export health certificate obtained, built to CFIA's English or French format.
Responsible: Madagascar-registered vet / DSV
03
4-6 weeks before travel.
Cargo or cabin booking confirmed via Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Air France (Paris) or Emirates (Dubai).
Responsible: Owner or agent
04
On landing.
Arrival inspection at Toronto or Montreal; certificate and vaccination record checked, no import permit required for a qualifying personal pet.
Responsible: CFIA / CBSA
Requirements
Canada entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
Not legally mandated for a personal pet, though a scannable ISO 11784/11785 chip is expected in practice by airlines and border staff, more so given Madagascar's place on CFIA's high-risk list.
Rabies vaccination
Required for dogs, current and documented on a certificate in English or French. Cats face no federal rabies rule at all. Source: CFIA, inspection.canada.ca, 2026.
Rabies titre test
Not required for a personal pet dog, even though Madagascar appears on CFIA's list of countries at high-risk for dog rabies, last updated 13 March 2025 and confirmed directly against that published list on 22 July 2026, despite the island's own reputation as a rabies-affected country. The listing's practical force falls on commercial dog imports, not an owner-accompanied pet.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for a pet arriving with correct, current documentation as a personal, owner-accompanied animal.
Import permit
Not required for personal pets, defined by CFIA as one or two animals travelling with an owner who isn't transferring them to someone else on arrival. CFIA presumes a dog under 8 months old travelling without its named owner is commercial, and commercial dogs from high-risk countries have been barred outright since 28 September 2022.
Health certificate
Veterinary health certificate confirming vaccination status and general health, issued close to travel and presented in English or French at the port of entry.
Leaving Madagascar
Export requirements
Veterinary inspection
Pre-export veterinary examination confirming ISO microchip placement before rabies vaccination, plus core vaccinations (distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis for dogs; panleukopenia, herpesvirus and calicivirus for cats).
Health certificate
Export health certificate from a Madagascar-registered veterinarian, endorsed by the Direction des Services Veterinaires (DSV), Ministere de l'Agriculture et de l'Elevage, Antananarivo. Build it to CFIA's English or French format rather than the CDC's specific US foreign-vaccination form used on Madagascar's US route; Canada has no equivalent standalone document.
Costs
What this route typically costs
DSV-endorsed export certificate and pre-export vet exam: fee not fixed by DSV; confirm directly, budget USD 100-250
Microchip and rabies vaccination, if not already current: USD 40-100
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-350
Cargo freight, Antananarivo to Toronto via Addis Ababa, Paris or Dubai: CAD 2,300-4,900
IPATA-registered agent fee: CAD 700-1,700
Total typical range: USD 3,200-6,800
Critical points
Madagascar's place on CFIA's high-risk list, updated 13 March 2025, sounds like it should mirror the island's own biosecurity reputation, but for a personal pet it mostly changes nothing beyond the commercial dog import ban in force since September 2022.
No airline flies Antananarivo directly to Canada. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is the only genuinely single-carrier option; Emirates' Dubai connection actually routes via Seychelles, adding transit time despite being marketed as one stop.
CFIA presumes a dog under 8 months old, travelling without its named owner, is a commercial import. From a high-risk country that presumption has real consequences; confirm your pet's status directly with CFIA if this could apply.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Ethiopian Airlines
Antananarivo to Addis Ababa nonstop, six times a week, connecting to Ethiopian's own nonstop Addis Ababa-Toronto service, the only nonstop passenger link between continental Africa and Canada. A genuinely single-carrier routing all the way to a Canadian gateway.
Cargo Only
Air France
Antananarivo to Paris Charles de Gaulle several times a week, then Air Canada's own nonstop Paris-Toronto or Paris-Montreal service. Small pets under 8kg including carrier can travel in the cabin on the Madagascar-Paris sector.
Cabin and Cargo
Emirates
Antananarivo to Dubai via a linked Seychelles routing rather than a true nonstop, then Emirates' own Dubai-Toronto service. Worth factoring the Seychelles stop into total transit time even though it's booked as one connection.
Cargo Only
Meeting Canada's entry requirements
Getting a pet into Canada is a middle of the road process. The rules are well defined, so most of the work is simply staying on schedule.
Advice worth following
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.
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. Madagascar appears on CFIA’s list of countries at high-risk for dog rabies, last updated 13 March 2025. For a personal pet this doesn’t add a titre test; the listing mainly affects commercial dog imports, banned since September 2022.
No. CFIA doesn’t require a rabies antibody titre test for a personal pet dog, even one from a high-risk country like Madagascar. A current vaccination, recorded in English or French, is what’s checked on arrival.
No. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is the only genuinely single-carrier option, connecting to its own nonstop Addis Ababa-Toronto service. Air France via Paris and Emirates via Dubai (which actually routes via Seychelles) are the alternatives.
It matters most through CFIA’s personal-versus-commercial distinction. A dog under 8 months old travelling without its named owner is presumed commercial, and commercial dogs from high-risk countries are barred outright. Confirm your pet’s status with CFIA directly if age or accompaniment could put this in question.
No. CFIA has no federal rabies requirement for cats at all, whatever the exporting country’s risk classification. A cat from Madagascar needs a health certificate for airline acceptance but none of the high-risk-list considerations dogs face.
Airline guides
Ethiopian Airlines
Air France
Emirates
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.