Travelling from USA to Canada with your dog is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance but you can end up faced with problems that you did not anticipate in the event that you do not have the necessary knowledge about the topic.
Humans just need to have a valid passport in the USA and dogs that are older than eight months need to have a rabies vaccination certificate received from licensed veterinarians. There are also some extra regulations that you have to respect when you travel by plane.
Here is a fast breakdown of what you need to do in order to travel with your dog and not have any problems.
Step 1 – Get Your Passport
American citizens need to start an application process in order to obtain a passport. This is quite easy to do on the Passport US Department Of State site. The new passport will be received in up to six weeks s plan your trip accordingly. In the meantime, take care of step 2 below.
Step 2 – Getting The Rabies Certificate For The Dog
Every single dog that enters Canada needs to have a valid rabies certificate. It includes information about the dog like sex, breed, color and age. Licensed veterinarians need to include mentions of the vaccination dates while also highlighting effectiveness duration for the vaccines used. When such mentions are not included, the border authorities simply consider the vaccination to be valid for 1 year.
There is also a possibility to enter Canada without the necessary vaccination proof. However, in this case you need to have a certificate that states color, sex, breed and age while also showcasing the fact that the dog is originally from one country that is free of rabies. US is one of these countries. Even so, such a fact does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter Canada with your dog. Too many people just try to cross the border without a certificate like the one mentioned above.
If the dog is young and a rabies vaccine cannot be done, the animal is allowed to enter the country without any extra documentation. However, the handled needs to sign a special agreement. In it the handler agrees to quarantine the dog at any location for one month.
Step 3 – If Travelling With Your Dog By Plane
In this case you need to contact the airline that you will use. There are different border crossing requirements that you may need to be aware of. Besides the rabies certificate, there are various airlines that will ask for health certificates that are issued by licensed veterinarians. The certificate needs to say that the dog is 100% fit for travel. In addition, the certification usually has to be dated under 10 days before Canada entry date.
Step 4 – Having Health Records With You
You never know what happens and you need to be prepared when travelling with your dog to any country. That is why we recommend that you take all the pet’s health records and put them in an envelope that you take with you on your trip. If vet care is necessary in the country you travel to, such information would help out a lot.
Step 5 – Identification Details
Since you travel with your pet to Canada, you need to buy new dog tags. Add phone numbers and all necessary contact details based on where you will be reached in the country. It would be useless to have your regular dog tags since they would have contact details from your US address.
Step 6 – Learn About Pet Supply Stores
You are not allowed to take dog food with you when you travel to Canada. Conduct a good research and learn about the pet supply stores that are available near your final destination. You will most likely want to offer some food to your pet as you reach your destination.
Step 7 – Learn About Extra Regulations
As in many other countries from around the world, there may be extra regulations that have to be respected based on where you travel to in Canada. As an example, bully breeds are not allowed in Ontario. Make sure that you can take your dog with you on the trip in the first place so that you avoid all possible problems.