Published in 2025 / Updated in 2026
Document requirements
• A rabies vaccination and a veterinary health certificate will be required,
• a veterinary health certificate issued no more than 48 hours prior to entry into Canada.
• International veterinary passport with information about the dog, owner and vaccinations
Calculator for importing various pets into Canada
Vaccination requirements
A valid rabies vaccination certificate issued at least 30 days prior to travel.
The only rabies neutralizing antibody titer test approved for travel with pets is the Fluorescent Antibody Virus NAge Restrictions
Age Restrictions
The pet must be at least 16 weeks old and microchipped. A microchip must be installed prior to rabies vaccination.eutralization (FAVN) test.
Оther pets
Prohibited from import into Canada:
Hybrid dogs or cats purchased for import as pets. Examples of hybrid dogs and cats include, but are not limited to:
• Savannahs;
• Bengal cats;
• Wolf-dog crossbreeds.
Most rodents may be imported into Canada without an import permit or health certificate. A border inspection may be conducted related to the humane transport of animals.
Additional information can be requested here
Importers should use the Automated ImportSystem tool: to determine if a CFIA inspection is required. If a CFIA inspection is required, importers should take these steps prior to their arrival by contacting the CFIA District Office closest to their first point of entry into Canada to schedule an inspection.
The following conditions must be met when importing a rabbit into Canada:
An import permit must be applied for 30 days prior to travel.
The country of departure must not have had an outbreak of myxomatosis in the past 6 months.
For myxomatosis, at least one of the following conditions must be met:
- The rabbit has been vaccinated against myxomatosis during its life with Nobivac Myxo-RHD, Nobivac Myxo-RHD Plus or Shope Fibroma virus vaccine. The last vaccination must have been administered at least 21 days prior to travel.
- The rabbit has never been vaccinated with anything.
For RHD/VHD, at least one of the following three conditions must be met:
- The rabbit has lived in an apartment or on a farm free of RHD/VHD for the past 90 days.
- RHD/VHD vaccine administered within 30 to 90 days prior to travel.
- RHD/VHD ELISA test completed within 30 days prior to export.
If the rabbit has been vaccinated at least once with a vaccine other than Nobivac Myxo-RHD, Nobivac Myxo-RHD Plus, or Shope fibroma virus vaccine, and this is reflected in the rabbit’s documentation, the rabbit is not allowed to be imported into Canada.
More information about transporting a rabbit to Canada can be found in the AIRS system. To find information about rabbits, you need to select the following parameters in the Select by Drill-down line:
Harmonized System (HS) Code Level 1: 01-Live animals
HS Code Level 2: 06-Other live animals
HS Code Level 3: 14-Rabbit and hares
OGD Extension Level 1: 2071-Rabbits
Next, select the region (from where you are leaving)
Next, select your country of residence from which you are traveling to Canada
How to travel with rare or dangerous pet breeds read here
Transit
Upon entry into Canada, Border Services Agency (CBSA) will inspect your pet and your documents. More about pet transit
Useful Links
From Canada
Document requirements
• Health certificate – not required. 2 weeks or less before departure, you need to go to a veterinary clinic and take a test for diseases required by the country of entry.
• During the appointment, the veterinarian must fill out the documents, stamps are put in the CFIA.
• Certificate for departure – receive at the veterinary clinic. Next, you need to put stamps on the issued certificate at the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) office. You must come without the animal with a certificate, veterinary passport of the animal (or vaccination certificate). During the visit, you will need to pay a state fee for the document. Cost – 32 CAD. Payment only in cash.
• You need to make an appointment at the veterinary clinic and CFIA in advance, 10 days or less before departure.
• The address of the CFIA office in your city can be found here.
• Validity of the certificate
• It can be made 10 days or less before departure.
Vaccination requirements
Rabies antibody titers:
• Needed for travel to a rabies-red country and return back to the EU, as well as to Israel, China, UAE, Turkey without return.
• No own laboratories, clinics send the analysis to the USA.
Оther pets
It is prohibited to import reptiles and turtles into Canada as pets. Turtles and turtle eggs may be imported for research and scientific purposes only.
To import ferrets, you must apply for an import permit at least 30 days in advance.
To import rabbits, you must apply for an import permit at least 30 days in advance. Rabbits must be quarantined before being imported into Canada. Pre-vaccination against myxomatosis with a vaccine other than Nobivac Myxo-RHD or Shope fibroma virus vaccine is not permitted.
There are no restrictions on the import of any rodents other than prairie dogs, Gambian pouched rats, some squirrels, and rodents from Africa.
Raccoons, foxes, skunks, and primates are not permitted.
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