For more than 20 years, Matt Perrault has handled the transport of animals into and out of Canada, arranging travel for everything from birds and bearded dragons to rabbits and ferrets. In recent years, however, the bulk of his work has shifted toward moving cats and dogs.
“It’s been increasing,” said Perrault, owner of Ottawa-based emBARK Pet Transport. “Many people are relocating for work, and others simply want to travel with their pets. A dog is like a member of the family.”
Pet travel has expanded rapidly. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the number of dogs entering Canada—whether temporarily, permanently or returning from abroad—rose by more than 400% between 2013 and 2019, reaching an estimated 37,400 dogs in 2019.
Despite soaring demand, moving a pet across a border can be complicated. Rules differ widely by destination and can change frequently, creating logistical headaches for owners and professional shippers alike.
Pet travel rules vary widely by country
Canadians travelling with animals face a patchwork of entry requirements that can differ dramatically from one country to the next. Some destinations require a long list of documents, strict timing for treatments and tests, or specific formatting for paperwork.
“There’s a lot of logistics when going to certain countries,” said Arlene Lebovic, founder of Your Dog Butler, a company that assists owners with pet transport.
For travel to the United States, as of August, Canadians must complete a free online form in advance. Dogs must be at least six months old and have a microchip that can be read by a scanner for identification.
Countries known for the strictest import rules include the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India and the United Arab Emirates.
When travelling outside the U.S., most destinations require an international health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian. The veterinary exam often begins at about $50. That certificate then needs approval from a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) veterinarian, a process performed in person at one of more than 50 federal offices across Canada for a $22 fee.
More Canadians bringing pets along on their travels
Pet ownership is common in Canada. An Ekos Research poll commissioned by the federal inspection agency found that 56% of respondents owned pets—mainly dogs and cats—and more than one in six pet owners said they had travelled abroad with their animals. That implies several million Canadians have taken pets overseas, a trend likely to grow alongside increasing pet ownership.
The COVID-19 pandemic drove a surge in imported dogs as many Canadians adopted pets while spending more time at home. For pet shippers, timing and preparation are often the biggest challenges.
Certain destinations require permits or tests obtained well in advance. For example, the U.K. requires tapeworm treatment for dogs between 24 and 120 hours before arrival; a delayed flight can force a repeat vet visit. Heathrow’s Animal Reception Centre must also have space available to accept arriving animals, so advance planning is essential.
The U.K. has other peculiarities: “All the documents need to be completed in blue ink,” said Dayana Pak, owner of Relopet International. If paperwork is filled out in another colour, the CFIA may reject it and request new documentation.
Australia typically requires more than six months of preparation to complete the necessary tests and paperwork. If a dog’s rabies vaccination has lapsed even by a day, the animal may need to go through a process that can take about seven months. Dogs and cats arriving from Canada to Australia or New Zealand are also subject to at least 10 days in quarantine.
“A tiny mistake, even something as small as one digit off in a microchip number, can result in quarantine for an unknown number of days or the pet being returned to Canada,” Pak warned.
Airline requirements for dogs travelling from Canada
How you travel matters. Crossing the U.S. border by car is relatively simple—no vet-approved health certificate is required—but flying is more complex.
Most airlines ask for a health certificate. Small pets that fit in a carrier under the passenger seat are often allowed in the cabin. Larger dogs can sometimes be transported as checked baggage for a fee; Air Canada’s charges range from $105 to $319, provided the dog is under the airline’s 100-pound weight limit and is transported in an approved travel crate. Airlines may also restrict pet travel during peak periods.
Certain countries, including the U.K., Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, require dogs arriving by air to travel as cargo and be collected at airport freight facilities rather than at passenger terminals.
“It’s like sending a package to someone overseas,” Perrault said, noting that logistics around cargo shipments can add complexity.
Some airlines require a customs broker to meet the aircraft. Air Canada limits canine cargo shipments to Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami because those stations have dedicated staff that provide better control of the process, spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said.
Weather also affects shipping: Perrault said pet shipments are cancelled if temperatures exceed 29.5°C. “Miami right now, it’s too hot,” he observed.
More about pets:
- With the rising costs of pet ownership, is pet insurance worth it in Canada?
- Why are vets so expensive?
- Budgeting for a pet
- What’s driving the cost of vet bills?