Getting a pet from Seychelles to Canada is a step by step process, and each stage has its own timing. This is a middle of the road route, and about 8-12 weeks of preparation usually covers it. Pets with correct documentation skip quarantine …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Seychelles to Canada
typically takes around 8-12 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 Seychelles to Canada pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Implant or confirm the microchip, ideally to ISO 11784/11785 standard.
Responsible: Vet in Seychelles
Start of planning.
2
Rabies vaccination administered, with the certificate recording the vaccine trade name, serial number and expiry date.
Responsible: Seychelles-registered vet
6-8 weeks before travel, no fixed minimum gap required by CFIA.
3
Obtain the government-endorsed export health certificate.
Responsible: Government-endorsed vet
Close to the travel date.
4
Book cargo via Dubai (Emirates) or Abu Dhabi (Etihad) into Toronto, plus any onward Air Canada domestic leg.
Responsible: Owner or agent
4-6 weeks before travel.
5
Collect the final export health certificate, valid 10 days to Canadian entry.
Responsible: Seychelles vet
Within 10 days of travel.
6
Arrival and CBSA border check at a Canadian port of entry. Usually a document review and a visual inspection, not a physical exam.
Responsible: Cargo handler and CBSA
Day of arrival.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Canada
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
Not a federal requirement for a personal pet dog or cat. An ISO 11784/11785 microchip is still recommended, since Canadian vets and border staff cannot scan a non-standard chip.
Rabies vaccination
Required for any dog over three months old. The certificate must state the vaccine's trade name, serial number and expiry date, alongside the dog's breed, sex, colour and weight, and it stays valid for up to three years. Puppies under three months travel without it. Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), inspection.canada.ca.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Seychelles sits outside both of CFIA's special lists: it is not one of the nine countries CFIA recognises as rabies-free (Australia, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK), and it does not appear on CFIA's high-risk country list for dog rabies either, a list last updated 13 March 2025 that runs alphabetically from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe without a Seychelles entry. A standard vaccination certificate is enough, with no serology test and no fixed waiting period after the jab. Source: CFIA, inspection.canada.ca.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for pets arriving in Canada with correct documentation, regardless of origin country.
Import permit
Not required for a personal pet import of one or two animals. A CFIA import permit only applies to commercial dogs, defined as animals intended for resale, breeding, re-homing, exhibition or research.
Health certificate
The Seychelles export health certificate travels with the pet and doubles as the entry document. Valid for 10 days from the date of examination to the date of Canadian entry.
Export permit (Seychelles)
No separate export permit for a personal pet. An export health certificate from a Seychelles-registered veterinarian, endorsed by the government veterinary authority, is the core document before the pet leaves Mahe.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Seychelles export health certificate and vet exam: USD 90-150.
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-350.
Cargo routing via Dubai or Abu Dhabi to a Canadian gateway: USD 1,700-3,100 depending on crate size and season.
Total typical range: USD 1,900-3,600.
Critical points to read before you book
Seychelles sits outside CFIA's high-risk list for dog rabies, last updated 13 March 2025, confirmed directly against the published list. That makes Canada one of the lighter destinations on this site for a Seychelles-origin pet: no titre test, no fixed wait after vaccination, no quarantine.
There is no non-stop flight from Mahe to Canada. Every shipment connects through Dubai on Emirates or Abu Dhabi on Etihad, and the quality of that Gulf-hub transfer matters more here than any destination-side paperwork does.
The rabies certificate must record the vaccine's trade name, serial number and expiry date, plus the dog's breed, sex, colour and weight. A certificate missing any of these fields is a common and entirely avoidable hold-up at the Canadian border.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
EMIRATES
Emirates SkyCargo
A direct Mahe-Dubai sector connects to Emirates' daily Dubai-Toronto service, the most direct routing currently available for this move.
Cargo Only
ETIHAD AIRWAYS
Etihad Airways / Etihad Cargo
Mahe connects to Abu Dhabi, then Etihad's daily A380 service into Toronto, with the transfer handled through the Pet Oasis facility.
Cargo Only
AIR CANADA
Air Canada
Handles onward domestic connections if the final destination isn't Toronto itself. Air Canada Cargo carries pets in a heated, pressurised hold on domestic sectors, though brachycephalic breeds are restricted from its cargo hold year-round.
Cabin and Cargo
The rules for bringing a pet into Canada
Canada has a clear set of import requirements that are manageable with some planning. Follow them in order and keep an eye on the dates that cannot move.
How to keep this move on track
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.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
FAQ
Common questions about Seychelles to Canada pet transport
No. Seychelles is absent from CFIA’s high-risk country list for dog rabies, last updated 13 March 2025, and it isn’t one of the nine countries CFIA recognises as rabies-free either. A standard rabies vaccination certificate covers a Seychelles-origin dog, with no serology test required.
No. Mahe has no non-stop Canadian service. Realistic routings connect through Dubai on Emirates, which now flies daily into Toronto, or Abu Dhabi on Etihad’s daily A380 service.
No. Canada does not require routine quarantine for pets arriving with correct documentation, whatever the country of origin. Border checks at the port of entry are typically a document review and a visual inspection.
The vaccine’s trade name, serial number and expiry date, plus the dog’s breed, sex, colour and weight. Missing any of these fields is a common and avoidable cause of delay at the Canadian border.
Airline guides
Emirates SkyCargo
Etihad Airways / Etihad Cargo
Air Canada
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.