Traveling with Pets

The short version

Canada is one of the easiest countries in the world to visit with a dog or cat. Coming from the US, a pet you are bringing for your own trip needs one document: proof of a current rabies vaccination. There is no quarantine, no import permit, and no microchip requirement on the Canadian side for personal pets.

The harder part is the trip home. Since August 1, 2024, every dog entering the US, including an American dog back from a weekend in Vancouver, has to be at least six months old, carry a microchip, and have a receipt from the free CDC Dog Import Form. Cats are much simpler.

Beyond the border, the practical side is familiar: book the pet's spot on the plane early, find hotels that accept animals, keep your dog on a short leash in national parks, and respect the wildlife and the cold.

Bringing a dog or cat into Canada

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sets the rules for animals, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the booth or the airport enforces them. Declare your pet when the officer asks what you are bringing, or in the Advance CBSA Declaration if you use it. For the rest of the border process, see Entering Canada.

Dogs and cats 3 months and older

Personal pet dogs and cats from the US that are three months or older need a rabies vaccination certificate that is still valid on the day you cross. Your regular US vet's rabies certificate usually works as long as it has the details CFIA expects:

• Written in English or French, and issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian.
• A clear description of the animal: breed, sex, color and weight, so the officer can match the paper to the pet.
• The date the shot was given.
• The trade name and serial (lot) number of the licensed rabies vaccine.
• How long the vaccination is valid. If the certificate does not say, Canada treats it as valid for one year from the vaccination date.

That last point matters. Many US dogs get a three-year rabies vaccine, but if the certificate does not state the three-year duration, a border officer can read it as a one-year shot. Ask your vet for a certificate that spells out the expiry date. A rabies tag on the collar is not enough on its own.

Puppies and kittens under 3 months

Dogs and cats younger than three months do not need a rabies certificate to enter Canada from the US, because they are too young to be vaccinated effectively. They must be healthy, and the officer can ask for proof of age, so bring a vet record or breeder paperwork with the birth date. A rabies shot given before 12 weeks of age does not count. Remember that a puppy this young cannot return to the US; see the return rules below.

What happens at the border

For personal pets coming directly from the US, the inspection is usually a glance at the certificate and at the animal. The officer is checking that the pet matches the paperwork and looks healthy. A small CFIA inspection fee applies to some imported dogs and cats, and the rules on who pays it change, so check CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) before you go to see whether it applies to yours.

If your paperwork falls short, the officer can refuse the animal or, in some cases, let it in on condition that you get it vaccinated within a set time and show proof to the CFIA. A current certificate in the glovebox avoids all of it.

Personal versus commercial imports

Everything above covers pets traveling with their owners. CFIA treats a dog as a commercial import if it is going to change hands after it arrives: for resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show or exhibition, or research. That includes a dog you are delivering for a rescue group, even if no money changes hands.

Commercial dogs, especially those under eight months old coming in for breeding or resale, face far stricter rules, including advance paperwork, a microchip, health certificates and possible inspection on arrival. If you are buying, selling or rehoming a dog across the border, read CFIA's commercial rules well before the trip.

Service dogs and emotional support animals

Certified guide, hearing and other service dogs are exempt from Canada's import requirements when the person they assist is traveling with them. Bring the certification from the training organization; Canadian officials look for groups accredited by bodies such as Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation. Emotional support and therapy animals do not get this exemption and are treated as ordinary pets, so they need the rabies certificate.

Coming home: the US rules for dogs

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overhauled its dog import rules on August 1, 2024, and they still apply in October 2026. They cover every dog entering the US, including dogs born in the US and dogs that only went to Canada for a day. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checks them at the border or at preclearance in a Canadian airport.

Canada is classed as a dog rabies-free or low-risk country. If your dog has been only in low-risk countries (such as the US, Canada or Mexico) for the six months before you come home, it needs just three things.

1. Age: the dog must be at least 6 months old when it enters or returns to the US.
2. Microchip: the dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can read. Ask your vet to scan it before the trip and write the number down.
3. CDC Dog Import Form: fill it out online, free, one form per dog. You get a receipt by email that you can print or show on your phone.

The dog must also look healthy when it arrives. The receipt is good for six months from the date it is issued and covers multiple crossings in that period, as long as the dog does not visit a high-risk country. If you come back through a different low-risk country, you need a new form listing it as the departure country.

You can complete the form on the day you travel, but the CDC suggests doing it a few days ahead. Do it at home on Wi-Fi with the microchip number and a recent, clear photo of your dog at hand. Dogs can come in at any airport, seaport or land crossing.

Dogs that have been somewhere else

If your dog was in a country the CDC lists as high risk for dog rabies in the past six months, much stricter rules apply, and it cannot route home through Canada without first spending six months there. Use the CDC's Dog Importation Navigator well before you book.

Puppies under 6 months

There is no workaround for the age rule. A four-month-old puppy can enter Canada with you, but it cannot come back to the US until it turns six months. That rules out driving north with a new puppy, and it also means buying or adopting a puppy in Canada to bring home is off the table until the dog is old enough. A dog that fails the rules can be refused entry and returned at your expense; the CDC grants case-by-case exceptions only at its discretion.

Cats coming home

The CDC does not require a form or a rabies certificate for cats, but cats must appear healthy, and some states require rabies vaccination for cats as well as dogs. Bring the same rabies certificate you used going north and it covers you both ways.

Pet food and treats

Coming home, US rules allow pet food and treats in unopened retail packaging that are labeled as products of Canada or the US, up to 50 lb per vehicle. Going north, commercially packaged US pet food in reasonable amounts for a pet traveling with you is normally fine; check AIRS for the current limit, especially for raw diets and meat-based treats, which are the first things restricted during animal disease outbreaks. See Shopping and US customs.

Flying with a pet

Driving is far easier than flying. If you do fly, book your ticket, then contact the airline right away to add the pet, because each flight takes only a few animals in the cabin. Pets usually cannot travel on codeshare or partner-operated flights, so book a single airline end to end.

Air Canada

• Cabin: one cat or small dog per passenger, in a soft-sided carrier under the seat (soft-sided carriers have been mandatory since June 1, 2025). On most jets the carrier can be up to 16 x 17 x 8 in (40 x 43 x 20 cm); on the smaller Dash 8-400, E175 and CRJ900 it can be 16 x 22 x 10 in (40 x 55 x 27 cm). Pets must generally be at least 10 weeks old.
• Fee: about 50–60 Canadian or US dollars each way in the cabin within Canada and between Canada and the US, depending on where the ticket starts. In the hold, about 105–126 each way on the same routes, tax included.
• Booking: register the pet with Air Canada within 24 hours of booking and you get a free refund if it cannot be accommodated. You cannot check in online with a pet; arrive 30 minutes earlier than usual and see an agent.
• Hold restrictions: short-nosed (brachycephalic) dog breeds cannot fly in the hold. From November 1 to March 31, or whenever it is 32°F (0°C) or colder, cats and dogs under 10 lb (4.5 kg) cannot go in the hold, and no pets are accepted as checked baggage from December 18 to January 4. Heat limits kick in above 85°F (29.5°C).
• No pet carriers on Air Canada Jetz flights, in Premium Economy, or in exit and bulkhead rows.

WestJet

• Cabin: one cat, dog or bird per guest in a soft-sided, leak-proof kennel up to 16 x 8.5 x 10 in (41 x 21.5 x 25.4 cm). The kennel counts as your personal item. Pets under eight weeks are not accepted.
• Hold: available on many flights for pets up to 100 lb (45 kg) with the kennel, with a limit of a few kennels per plane. Snub-nosed breeds and certain strong breeds must go through WestJet Cargo.
• Booking: request space when you book, and at least 48 hours before departure. Check WestJet's fees page for the current kennel fee.

Porter and US airlines

Porter, American, Delta, United and Alaska all take small cats and dogs in the cabin on most cross-border routes for a fee, each with its own carrier size and booking rules. Checked-pet options on US airlines are much more limited than on Canadian ones; Delta and United, for example, do not carry pets as checked baggage on regular passenger bookings.

Service animals and emotional support animals

Canadian and US airlines carry trained service dogs in the cabin at no charge, but both countries now let airlines treat emotional support animals as regular pets, with the normal fee and carrier rules. Contact the airline's accessibility desk at least 48 hours ahead for a service dog.

Driving across with a pet

Driving is the simplest way to bring a pet. At the Canadian booth, tell the officer you have a dog or cat and hand over the rabies certificate with your passports. At the US booth on the way back, have the CDC receipt ready for each dog. For crossings and wait times, see Crossing the border.

• Keep a pet folder: rabies certificate, CDC receipt, microchip number, vet records, and a recent photo in case your pet goes missing.
• Bring enough food for the trip in sealed retail packaging, plus a gallon or two of water.
• Add a collar tag with a cell number that works in Canada; most US plans that include Canada do. See Staying connected.
• Plan stops. Distances are long, and in the North, Northern Ontario and the Prairies, services can be 60 miles (100 km) or more apart. See Driving in Canada.
• Never leave a pet in a parked car in summer. Inside temperatures climb fast even on mild days; Parks Canada notes that a car can reach about 108°F (42°C) within minutes when it is 81°F (27°C) outside.

Breed rules

Ontario has banned pit bulls since 2005, and the ban covers pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers and dogs that look like them. The law includes bringing such a dog into the province, so even a visit carries risk. A few cities elsewhere have their own breed bylaws. If you have a bully breed, check the provincial and city rules along your route before you go.

Ferries with pets

BC Ferries

Pets ride free on BC Ferries, but they are not allowed in passenger lounges, cafeterias, cabins or terminal buildings. Your choices are to leave the pet in your car on the vehicle deck, or to use the designated pet areas, outlined in yellow on the deck. Many larger vessels on the Vancouver–Victoria and Vancouver–Nanaimo routes have an outdoor pet area, and some also have an indoor pet area with seating, water bowls and kennels; outdoor areas can close in bad weather.

• Dogs stay on a leash no longer than 1 m (about 3 ft) at all times, including in terminals. Cats and small animals must be in a secure carrier.
• The vehicle deck is not heated or cooled. Crack the windows and turn off your car alarm.
• Walk-on passengers with pets board and leave by the vehicle deck, guided by crew, before the cars move.
• To use an onboard kennel, bring your own padlock.
• Each person can manage no more than two pets in the pet areas, and dogs with a bite history are barred from them.
• On northern routes from Port Hardy and Prince Rupert, outdoor pet areas open only June through September, car-deck access is limited to announced times, and pets cannot go in cabins. Bring water and supplies.

Guide and service animals can go anywhere on board. For routes and booking, see Getting around and Vancouver Island.

East Coast ferries

The ferries to Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and the islands of the Bay of Fundy also accept pets, but most keep them in vehicles or onboard kennels rather than passenger areas, and long crossings to Newfoundland can mean many hours apart. Check the operator's pet rules, kennel availability and vehicle-deck access when you book. See New Brunswick and PEI and Newfoundland.

Pets in national and provincial parks

Dogs are welcome in most of Canada's national parks, with one firm rule: they must be on a leash no longer than 3 m (about 10 ft) and under control at all times, everywhere, including campgrounds and trails. This is the law, and off-leash dogs are one of the most common causes of wildlife incidents in the parks. Pick up waste, and do not leave a pet alone at a campsite, picnic area or in a vehicle.

Parks Canada's own advice is blunt: if you will not keep your dog leashed, or you are heading deep into the backcountry, consider leaving it at home. A loose dog can provoke a bear, wolf or coyote and then lead it back to you.

Where dogs are not allowed

Rules change with wildlife activity, so check the park's own website or ask at the visitor center for closures before a hike. Provincial parks set their own rules, usually with a leash requirement, designated dog beaches, and sometimes pet-free campground loops or beaches. For passes and reservations, see National parks.

Pet-friendly places to stay

Finding a room for a dog works much as it does at home: many chain hotels and roadside motels accept pets, and booking sites let you filter for them. Policies vary property by property, even within one brand, so confirm three things before you book: the pet fee (per night or per stay), the weight or size limit, and how many animals are allowed.

• City hotels: plenty in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary accept dogs. Expect rules about leaving pets alone in the room.
• Mountain towns: Banff, Canmore, Jasper and Whistler have pet-friendly hotels and condos, but summer demand is fierce, so book early. See the Rockies and Whistler.
• Cottages and rentals: many cottage owners in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes accept dogs, often with a cleaning fee. Ask about fences, nearby roads and the lake's blue-green algae history.
• B&Bs and inns: often pet-free. Ask directly.

For booking windows and types of lodging, see Where to stay.

Vets, medicines and pet insurance

Veterinary care in Canada is good and works like care at home. Cities have 24-hour emergency animal hospitals; small-town clinics may keep business hours only, and in the North the nearest vet can be hundreds of miles away. Save the address of an emergency vet near each overnight stop before you leave.

• Expect to pay at the visit with a credit card, in Canadian dollars. Prices are shown before sales tax, as with everything else; see Money.
• Bring your pet's vaccination and medical records, on paper or your phone.
• Pack enough of your pet's medicines for the whole trip in their labeled containers. A Canadian vet generally has to examine your pet before prescribing a refill.
• Check your pet insurance's territory clause. Some US policies cover vet care in Canada as well as the US; many reimburse you after you pay, so keep itemized receipts.

Wildlife, ticks and other hazards

Wildlife

Keep the leash short, especially at dawn and dusk.

• Elk: in Banff and Jasper townsites, cow elk defend calves aggressively in late spring and bulls are dangerous during the fall rut in September and October. They treat dogs as wolves. Give them at least 100 ft (30 m).
• Moose: cows with calves charge people and dogs, mostly from mid-May through June. See Safety.
• Bears, wolves, coyotes and cougars: a dog that runs ahead can bring a bear back to you. Carry bear spray in bear country and keep the dog close.
• Porcupines: common in forests from Ontario to BC. A face full of quills means a trip to the vet.
• Skunks: widespread, even in cities.

Ticks

Blacklegged ticks, which carry Lyme disease, have spread across southern Canada, with high-risk areas in southern and eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, Nova Scotia, southern New Brunswick and southeastern Manitoba. Dogs pick them up easily. Use a vet-approved tick preventive, check your dog every evening, including ears, armpits and between the toes, and remove ticks with a tick tool. Your own tick precautions are on the Health page.

Water and food

• Blue-green algae: late-summer blooms on lakes can be deadly to dogs. Keep dogs out of water that looks like pea soup or has a scum.
• Giardia: carry water for your dog rather than letting it drink from streams and beaver ponds.
• Raw salmon: on the BC coast, dogs that eat raw or undercooked salmon or trout can get salmon poisoning disease, which is serious and needs a vet quickly. Keep dogs away from fish carcasses on riverbanks during salmon runs.

Cold-weather care

A Canadian winter is colder and longer than most Americans expect. In Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg or Edmonton, January nights of 5°F (-15°C) or colder are normal, and cold snaps can reach -22°F (-30°C) or lower, especially on the Prairies. A dog that is fine in a Boston winter may struggle in a Winnipeg one. See Winter and When to go.

• Coats: short-haired, small, young and old dogs need an insulated coat. Canadians put coats on dogs without a second thought.
• Paws: sidewalk salt and de-icers burn pads and are toxic if licked. Use dog boots or paw balm, and wipe paws after every walk.
• Short walks: in deep cold, several short walks beat one long one. Watch for lifted paws, shivering and slowing down.
• Ice: keep dogs off frozen lakes and rivers unless you know the ice is safe. Dogs fall through, and so do the people who go after them.
• Antifreeze: it tastes sweet and is deadly. Watch for spills in parking lots and gas stations.

Before you go: a pet checklist

• Rabies certificate, still valid on your return date, with the vaccine name, serial number and expiry written on it.
• Microchip implanted and scanned; number written down.
• CDC Dog Import Form completed for each dog; receipt saved to your phone and printed.
• Dog at least six months old on the day you come home.
• Medicines, food in sealed packaging, water, waste bags, a leash no longer than 3 m (10 ft), tick prevention and, in winter, cold-weather gear.
• Moving to Canada with a pet? See Long stays and moving.