Home › From the United Kingdom › Dog to Canada
Bringing a dog from the United Kingdom to Canada
Step-by-step checklist
| Step | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies vaccination certificate | Take a valid rabies vaccination certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian, in English or French, that clearly identifies your dog and shows it is currently vaccinated against rabies. CFIA also accepts, for dogs from a designated rabies-free country like the UK, a vet's certificate stating that rabies has not existed in the country for the previous 6 months and that the dog has lived there for those 6 months or since birth — or an RNATT result of 0.5 IU/ml or higher. The vaccination certificate is the option almost everyone uses. | Before travel |
| Export health certificate (EHC) | The UK side: for non-EU destinations you apply for an export health certificate and an export application form (EXA), and nominate an official vet (OV) who checks your dog and signs the certificate close to travel. Canada does not run its own endorsement step — the UK certificate and your vaccination record are what the border officer examines. | Apply a few weeks ahead; issued close to travel |
| Puppies and unaccompanied dogs | Dogs under 3 months need no rabies documentation at all. A dog under 8 months travelling unaccompanied additionally needs a signed vet certificate covering a health exam, core puppy vaccinations and fitness to travel, and must enter within 72 hours of that exam — most accompanied family dogs never touch this rule. | Only if it applies to you |
Your preparation timeline
- 1A few weeks out — Apply for the UK export health certificate and nominate your official vet
- 2Final days — Official vet examines your dog and signs the EHC; check the rabies certificate is in date and in English
- 3Arrival — Border inspection of documents; healthy dogs with correct certificates proceed without quarantine
Costs you can plan for
Canada charges no import permit fee for a personal pet dog, and there is no quarantine cost. Your spending is on the UK side: the official vet's EHC fee (vets set their own prices; GOV.UK publishes none) and the flight. A border document/inspection charge may apply at some ports of entry.
Questions people ask about this route
Does my dog need a rabies titer test for Canada?
No. An RNATT result is one of the documents CFIA accepts, but a simple valid rabies vaccination certificate does the same job — the test is never mandatory.
Does my dog need to be microchipped for Canada?
CFIA does not require a microchip for a personal pet dog. Your dog will still be chipped in practice: the UK export certificate process identifies the pet, and airlines require secure identification.
Will my dog be quarantined in Canada?
No. CFIA states that pet dogs imported from any country are not subject to post-import quarantine.
Are any dog breeds banned in Canada?
There is no federal breed ban. Some provinces and cities (for example Ontario) restrict pit-bull-type dogs locally — check the rules of the place you are moving to.
Related guides
- Bringing a cat from the United Kingdom to Canada
- Rabies titer tests (FAVN / RNATT): validity and waiting periods by country
- How many days before travel do you need a pet health certificate?
- Pet quarantine by country: how long, where, and how to avoid it
- Microchip before or after rabies vaccination?
- How far in advance should you start preparing?
Official sources for this page
- GOV.UK — Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad
- CFIA — Import Reference Document (Health of Animals Regulations): domestic dogs and cats
We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.
Want a professional to run this route for you?
Licensed pet relocation companies handle permits, vet paperwork and flights daily. We are adding vetted partners for this route — check back soon.