Taking your dog or cat from Mozambique to Canada comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Plan on roughly 7-11 weeks; the checklist is clear and the timing is manageable. There is no routine …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Mozambique 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 Mozambique to Canada import process
01
Before booking travel.
Rabies vaccination given or booster confirmed, core vaccinations updated, parasite treatment administered.
Responsible: Vet in Mozambique
02
Close to departure, once flights are booked.
DINAV endorses the export health certificate, built to CFIA's English or French format.
Responsible: Mozambican vet / DINAV
03
6-8 weeks before travel.
Cargo or cabin booking confirmed via Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) or TAP Air Portugal (Lisbon).
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 Mozambique'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 Mozambique 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. 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 Mozambique
Export requirements
Export permit
Export clearance from DINAV (Direcção Nacional de Veterinária), under Mozambique's Ministry of Agriculture, following pre-export inspection and a parasite treatment record.
Veterinary inspection
Pre-export examination confirming current rabies vaccination and core vaccinations, plus parasite treatment, before DINAV endorsement.
Health certificate
Export health certificate from a Mozambican vet, endorsed by DINAV, built to CFIA's English or French format. That's a genuinely lighter document than the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form Mozambique's US route requires; Canada has no equivalent standalone form.
Costs
What this route typically costs
DINAV-endorsed export certificate and vet exam: budget USD 100-250, fee not fixed by DINAV
Core and rabies vaccination top-ups, parasite treatment: USD 60-150
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-350
Cargo or hold fare, Maputo to Toronto via Addis Ababa or Lisbon: CAD 1,700-3,900
Pet relocation agent fee: CAD 400-950
Total typical range: USD 2,700-5,900
Critical points
Mozambique's place on CFIA's high-risk list, updated 13 March 2025, mainly changes the picture for commercial dog imports, banned since September 2022. A personal, owner-accompanied pet still avoids the titre test.
LAM Mozambique Airlines has no transatlantic service of any kind. It can feed a pet into Maputo but the Canada leg has to run through Ethiopian Airlines or TAP Air Portugal instead.
CFIA presumes a dog under 8 months old, travelling without its named owner, is a commercial import. From a high-risk country that presumption carries real weight; confirm your pet's status with CFIA if age or documentation is in question.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Ethiopian Airlines
Maputo to Addis Ababa, connecting to Ethiopian's own nonstop Addis Ababa-Toronto service, the only nonstop passenger route between continental Africa and Canada. Cabin pets to 8kg; larger dogs in the hold, or as manifested cargo above 45kg with the kennel.
Cabin and Cargo
TAP Air Portugal
Maputo to Lisbon nonstop, roughly 11 hours, connecting to Air Canada's own nonstop Lisbon-Toronto or Lisbon-Montreal sector. Hold pets to 45kg on most TAP routes.
Cabin and Cargo
LAM Mozambique Airlines
Mozambique's national carrier serves domestic and regional African routes only. It can carry the pet no further than Maputo before handing off to a long-haul carrier for the Canada leg.
No Pets
Canada entry requirements at a glance
The path into Canada is straightforward to follow once you know the steps. Give the time-sensitive items priority and check the details below.
Getting the details right
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 about this route
Yes. Mozambique 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. LAM Mozambique Airlines serves domestic and regional African routes only. It can carry the pet as far as Maputo, but the transatlantic leg needs Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa or TAP Air Portugal via Lisbon instead.
No. CFIA doesn’t require a rabies antibody titre test for a personal pet dog, even one from a high-risk country like Mozambique. A current vaccination, recorded in English or French, is what’s checked on arrival.
No. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa and TAP Air Portugal via Lisbon are the two realistic routings, both needing one long-haul connection to reach Toronto or Montreal.
Mostly 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 this could apply.
Airline guides
Ethiopian Airlines
TAP Air Portugal
LAM Mozambique Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.