Bringing a dog or cat to Canada
One of the easiest destinations: personal pet dogs and cats 3 months or older need only a vet-signed rabies vaccination certificate in English or French. There is no microchip, titer, waiting period or quarantine. Commercial dogs (sale, adoption, rescue) from CDC-style high-risk rabies countries are banned.
Which rules apply to you
Canada sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFIA rabies-free countriesPets that have lived for the last 6 months (or since birth) in a country Canada lists as rabies-free. | No | — | No | Only if rules not met |
| All other countries (including US and Mexico)Pets from any country not on Canada's rabies-free list, including the United States and Mexico. | No | — | No | Only if rules not met |
Step by step
Get a rabies-free origin certificate
A vet certifies the pet's identity, that rabies has not occurred in the country for the last 6 months, and that the pet lived there for those 6 months or since birth. A current rabies vaccination certificate also works instead.
Use English or French
Certificates must be in English or French.
Present at the border
Show the documents to the Canada Border Services Agency on arrival. Pets from outside the US may be inspected and charged an inspection fee.
No quarantine for pet dogs or cats. If documents are missing, an inspector can order rabies vaccination at the owner's cost.
Vaccinate against rabies
Dogs and cats 3 months or older need a current rabies vaccine. Pets under 3 months are exempt but must show proof of age if asked.
Get the rabies certificate
A licensed vet issues it in English or French. It must identify the pet (breed, colour, weight), give the vaccine name, serial/lot number and duration of immunity, and be signed and dated.
Extra papers for unaccompanied young dogs
Dogs under 8 months travelling without their owner also need a vet health certificate. It must be issued within 72 hours before import, after an exam at 8 weeks or older, and show distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza vaccination.
Present at the border
Show the certificate to the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA or CFIA may inspect the pet.
No quarantine for pet dogs or cats. If the certificate is missing or invalid, an inspector can order rabies vaccination at the owner's cost.
Good to know
- Cats
- Cats under 3 months have no restrictions. Cats 3 months or older need a rabies certificate, a rabies-free origin certificate or a titer (0.5 IU/ml or more, 30+ days after vaccination). No health certificate is needed. Wildcat hybrids have separate rules.
- How many pets
- No federal number limit found for personal pets. USDA says the pet rules cover up to 2 dogs travelling with their owner. Dogs under 8 months for sale, adoption or breeding are commercial imports and need a permit.
- Parasite treatment
- None for personal pets
- Arrival
- Any CBSA port (air or land). There is no federal ban on cabin travel. Airline rules apply. Commercial dogs must enter at the port named on the permit.
- Since 28 Sep 2022 Canada bans commercial dogs (resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show, research) from countries at high risk for dog rabies. The list was last modified 13 Mar 2025. Personal pet dogs are not affected.
- Assistance dogs travelling with their handler have no import restrictions.
- Ontario has a provincial pit bull ban, and some cities have breed rules. Check local rules if you are moving.
- Pets that pass through the US to reach Canada must also meet US (CDC) rules.
What we could not confirm
- The rabies-free country list comes from the CFIA pet import tool's grouping (AU, FJ, FI, IS, IE, JP, NZ, SE, GB) and may not be the full legal list.
- The exact certificate fields (breed, colour, weight, vaccine serial, duration) come from long-standing CFIA guidance and were not re-confirmed word-for-word on a current page.
- CFIA inspection fees for pets from countries other than the US (around CAD 30 for the first animal plus CAD 5 for each extra one) were not confirmed.
- Whether CFIA changed the commercial-dog ban in 2025-2026 was not confirmed. A judicial review was pending as of 2024.
Sources
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) before booking.