Relocating a pet from Senegal to Canada follows a clear path once you understand what Canada asks for. Allow around 6-10 weeks and follow the steps in order to stay on track. Compliant pets are not …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Senegal to Canada
typically takes around 6-10 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 Senegal to Canada import process
01
Before booking travel.
ISO microchip implanted, rabies vaccination given (at least 21 days before travel for a primary dose), core vaccinations and parasite treatment completed.
Responsible: Senegalese vet
02
Close to departure, once flights are booked.
DSV-endorsed export certificate obtained, built to CFIA's English or French format.
Responsible: DSV-authorised vet
03
4-6 weeks before travel.
Cargo or cabin booking confirmed via Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc), Paris (Air France) or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines).
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 Senegal'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 Senegal 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 Senegal
Export requirements
Export permit
Import/export authorisation issued by the Direction des Services Veterinaires (DSV), Ministere de l'Elevage et des Productions Animales, Dakar.
Veterinary inspection
Pre-export clinical examination by a DSV-authorised vet, confirming the animal is fit to travel.
Health certificate
Veterinary export certificate completed by a DSV-authorised vet and endorsed by DSV, built to CFIA's English or French format. Senegal's official languages already include French, which genuinely simplifies this step compared with the CDC's specific English-only foreign-vaccination form used on Senegal's US route.
Costs
What this route typically costs
DSV-endorsed export certificate and vet visit: fee not published; budget USD 80-200
Microchip, rabies vaccination and parasite treatment: USD 50-130
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-350
Air cargo, Dakar to Toronto or Montreal via Casablanca, Paris or Istanbul: CAD 1,300-3,000
Cargo agent handling fee: CAD 700-1,500
Total typical range: USD 2,400-5,500
Critical points
Senegal'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.
Dakar's commercial airport changed in December 2017. Confirm any booking and ground handling arrangements reference Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), not the older Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport, which now handles mostly cargo, charter and military traffic.
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
Royal Air Maroc
Dakar to Casablanca, then Royal Air Maroc's own direct Casablanca-Montreal service, roughly eight flights a week overall, a genuinely direct single-carrier option unmatched from most other Canadian cities. Confirm live animal cargo booking directly through the airline's cargo desk.
Cargo Only
Air France
Dakar to Paris CDG, roughly 14 weekly flights codeshared with Air Senegal, connecting to Air Canada's own nonstop Paris-Toronto or Paris-Montreal service. Small pets in cabin under 8kg including carrier.
Cabin and Cargo
Turkish Airlines
Dakar to Istanbul, then Turkish's own nonstop Istanbul-Toronto service. A longer routing than Casablanca or Paris, useful as a fallback.
Cargo Only
How Canada handles incoming pets
Canada keeps its requirements reasonable, though a few steps have fixed timing. Map those out first and the rest falls into place.
What experienced owners do
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. Senegal 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.
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 guides still reference it as current.
No. CFIA doesn’t require a rabies antibody titre test for a personal pet dog, even one from a high-risk country like Senegal. A current vaccination, recorded in English or French, is what’s checked on arrival.
Not nonstop, but Royal Air Maroc’s Dakar-Casablanca service connects to the airline’s own direct Casablanca-Montreal flight, a genuinely direct single-carrier option. Air France via Paris and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are the alternatives.
Age and accompaniment both matter. A dog under 8 months old, not travelling with its named owner, is presumed commercial, a serious classification from a high-risk country like Senegal since commercial dogs from listed countries are barred outright. Confirm your pet’s status directly with CFIA if this could apply.
Airline guides
Royal Air Maroc
Air France
Turkish Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.