Pets (dogs, cats and ferrets): Export certificates

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Most pets travelling from Canada to another country will need an export certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by an official Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) veterinarian.

It is mandatory to obtain CFIA endorsement of an export certificate before the animal(s) leave Canada as the CFIA cannot endorse or issue a certificate if the animal(s) is/are no longer in Canada.

The requirements for pets travelling to another country are very specific and different for each country. As a pet owner, you must plan ahead to ensure you have enough time to meet any testing, vaccination or treatment requirements and obtain the necessary certifications. Some countries may also require owners to obtain an import permit in addition to an export certificate. All official documents must be completed accurately.

Information on pets travelling to certain countries, including export certificates, is outlined below. In some cases, the certificates will be in English and/or another language without a corresponding French version. This is determined by the requirements of other countries and is outside of the control of the CFIA.

In order to avoid delays or mistakes with certification, which could result in the animal being ineligible to travel, it is important to review the requirements and export certificate well in advance and plan out any required tests, vaccinations or treatments with your veterinarian.

It is important to note that countries may change their requirements without prior notification to the CFIA. It is strongly recommended that prior to starting the export process you obtain a current copy of the import requirements from the appropriate veterinary authorities or embassy of the destination country and review them against the export certificate to ensure that all requirements are addressed. If you have any concerns, please contact the CFIA animal health office in your area for assistance.

Countries without a certificate

If you are travelling to a country for which there is currently no negotiated export certificate and the country does not provide one, you must contact the appropriate veterinary authorities or embassy of the destination country to obtain a copy of the current import requirements. If the destination country does not have a prescribed format for the export certificate and their import requirements can be met, the Canadian International Health Certificate can be used. Otherwise, the requirements will need to be submitted to the CFIA animal health office in your area for review to determine if a certificate can be negotiated. It is important to note that the process to negotiate an export certificate with another country can take several months. If you are unsure whether the Canadian International Health Certificate can be used, contact the CFIA animal health office in your area for assistance before starting the export process.

Transiting other countries

As of January 15, 2022, the European Union (EU) requires all dogs, cats and ferrets transiting through the EU to meet specific conditions and be certified. See Export of dogs, cats, and ferrets to the European Union and Northern Ireland: In-transit and commercial movements for more information.

If the animal will be transiting 1 or more countries before reaching the destination country, additional requirements from both the transit and destination country may apply. As the owner, you must contact the veterinary authority or embassy of both the destination country and transit countries to request the import requirements for your specific travel situation to determine whether additional certification is required.

If you have difficulty obtaining any of these certificates please contact the CFIA animal health office in your area.