Importing Animals into canada

A Step by Step Guide to Importing Dogs (Puppies)

Importing puppies under 8 months into Canada

The rules depend on whether the puppy is a personal pet or a commercial import. The CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) treats these very differently, and CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) defines commercial broadly as any dog that could generate revenue, including breeding dogs not for immediate sale. If you aren't sure which category applies, ask the CFIA before you ship, since misclassifying a dog can get it refused entry.

Part 1: Personal imports (pet puppy, not for sale or breeding)

Step 1: Confirm the puppy is genuinely personal. No import permit is needed for personal pets, and import permits are not required for personal pets. vin

Step 2: Check the puppy's age and rabies status. A dog under three months old at the time of import doesn't need rabies vaccination, but you should carry proof of its age. For a puppy 3 months or older, you need one of the following: Canada

• A valid rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed vet in the country of origin, in English or French, that clearly identifies the dog.

• A rabies antibody titre test result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, with the lab report accompanying the dog.

The vaccine can't be given before 12 weeks in practice, so puppies between 3 and 4 months old may need the vaccine timed carefully.

Step 3: Add the extra paperwork if the puppy travels without you. A puppy under 8 months old that is not accompanied by its owner needs a vet certificate. The certificate must: canada

• Have the vet's handwritten signature and name.

• Confirm the puppy is at least 8 weeks old and free from clinical disease.

• Confirm vaccination against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza, given no earlier than 6 weeks of age, with date, trade name and serial number.

• State the puppy is fit to travel.

• Show an exam date and time. The puppy must enter Canada within 72 hours of that exam.

Step 4: Microchip. I found no explicit federal microchip requirement for personal pets. It's still strongly recommended so the chip number can be matched to the vaccine certificate at inspection.

Step 5: Travel and present the dog at entry. Show your documents to CBSA at the border or airport. Pet dogs aren't quarantined in Canada, though an inspector can order a dog that doesn't meet the rabies requirement to be vaccinated at the owner's expense. canada

Part 2: Commercial imports (breeding, resale or adoption)

These are the strictest rules. They apply to commercial dogs under 8 months old imported for breeding and resale, which includes adoption. canada

Step 1: Source from an approved kennel. The kennel of origin must be inspected and certified by an official vet of that country as meeting CFIA criteria. For US dogs, this inspection can happen at the same time as the USDA-accredited vet completes the other export requirements. canada

Step 2: Arrange a CFIA import permit.

• Apply through the My CFIA online portal. The older form is CFIA/ACIA 5860.

• Permits are single-entry for a specified number of dogs. Unlimited multiple-entry permits were eliminated. wormsandgermsblog

• Allow generous lead time. The government may require 30 days' notice for commercial dog imports. albertaspca

• CFIA's page says recognized breeders are limited to 2 dogs per permit and 2 permits per year. canada

Step 3: Arrange a quarantine facility if flying. Importers transporting dogs by air must have a CFIA pre-approved post-import quarantine facility available in case arriving animals need further inspection or quarantine. canada

Step 4: Complete the pre-export health work. The CFIA's requirements for resale/adoption puppies are:

• Rabies: vaccination no earlier than 3 months of age, a 28-day wait before export, and a minimum age of 16 weeks at export. The US breeding/show process page says there's no waiting period after the rabies vaccination, so check which rule applies to your end use and origin in AIRS. canada

• Core vaccines: distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza, no earlier than 6 weeks of age. canada

• Parasites: treatment for internal and external parasites before export. canada

• Microchip: each dog needs an ISO-approved microchip. canada

Step 5: Get the veterinary health certificate. Use the model certificate for the correct end use. The sample certificate says it must be issued within 48 hours before shipment and is valid for 7 days. For US exports, certificates are issued through USDA's VEHCS system. usda

Step 6: Notify CFIA before the shipment arrives. Contact the CFIA animal health office at the airport or land border you'll use. Give the arrival time, number of dogs and end use.

Step 7: Clear customs and CFIA inspection. Every import of a dog under 8 months must be inspected by a CFIA veterinarian at the airport or land border. A formal customs entry is required for commercial dogs, so most importers use a customs broker. Expect duties and taxes to be assessed on the purchase value. A shipment arriving without a permit risks being refused and sent back. canadapcb

 Before you ship

• Rules can differ by country of origin, and some countries have extra restrictions. Check CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for your exact origin and end use.

• Airlines have their own minimum ages, crate standards and seasonal temperature embargoes for puppies.

• The core dog import rules were last amended in October 2025, so confirm nothing has changed since. For a commercial shipment, I'd call the CFIA district office near your port of entry before paying for any vet work.

Dog import checklist: US, Germany and France to Canada

What applies to all three: none of the three is on the CFIA's rabies-free list. That list covers only Australia, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK. So puppies from the US, Germany and France follow the standard "not rabies-free" rules. I also didn't see any of the three on CFIA's high-risk list, which since 2022 bans commercial dogs from high-risk countries and no permits are issued for them. The list is long, so confirm it hasn't changed. canadazoovettravel

A. Personal pet puppy (under 8 months)

Before you leave

• Confirm it's a pet and not for sale, breeding, show or fostering. Otherwise use Section B.

• Note the puppy's date of birth and get written proof of age.

• Under 3 months: no rabies vaccine is needed. A dog under three months at import doesn't require rabies vaccination. canada

• 3 months or older: get a rabies certificate from a licensed vet that identifies the dog and shows it is currently vaccinated. It must be in English or French.

• Optional: a rabies titre test (at least 0.5 IU/ml) can be used instead of the certificate.

• Get a microchip. It isn't a federal requirement for pets, but it lets CBSA match the puppy to its paperwork.

If the puppy travels without you (cargo or a handler)

• Get a vet certificate with the vet's handwritten signature and name. It must say the puppy is at least 8 weeks old, free from disease, fit to travel, and vaccinated for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza no earlier than 6 weeks of age, with vaccine date, name and serial number.

• Time the exam so the puppy enters Canada within 72 hours of the vet's examination. canada

Arrival

• Present the documents to CBSA. Pet dogs are not quarantined.

B. Commercial puppy (breeding, resale, adoption), under 8 months

Planning (start 6 to 8 weeks ahead)

• Apply for a CFIA import permit through My CFIA. It is single-entry for a specific number of dogs.

• Confirm the kennel of origin can be certified as meeting CFIA criteria.

• If flying, line up a CFIA pre-approved post-import quarantine facility.

• Hire a Canadian customs broker. A formal customs entry is required.

Health work in the origin country

• Rabies (if 3 months or older): CFIA's resale/adoption rules call for vaccination at no earlier than 3 months, a 28-day wait, and a minimum age of 16 weeks at export. CFIA's US breeding/show page describes no waiting period, so confirm which rule applies to your end use in AIRS. canada

• Core vaccines: distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza, no earlier than 6 weeks of age.

• Internal and external parasite treatment before export.

• ISO-approved microchip in every puppy, with the number recorded on all documents.

• Vet health certificate on the correct CFIA model, issued within 48 hours before shipment. The USDA sample says it is valid for 7 days. usda

• Kennel-of-origin certificate completed.

Shipment and arrival

• Notify the CFIA office at your port of entry in advance, with arrival time, number of dogs and end use.

• Have the permit, certificates, invoice and microchip list ready for CFIA and CBSA.

• Expect a CFIA vet inspection. All dogs under 8 months must be inspected by a CFIA veterinarian at the airport or land border. canada

If you require more information about our animal import and custom clearance services, please contact us at info@turboclr.com