How do I bring my dog or cat?

Bringing a pet dog or cat from the UK to Canada is far simpler than moving one to Australia. The UK counts as rabies-free for Canada, there is no quarantine for pet dogs, and the main job is getting the right vet certificate and a flight.

How it works from the UK

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sets the rules for animals coming into Canada, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) checks your pet when you arrive. The CFIA lists the United Kingdom among the countries it treats as rabies-free, along with Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Check the UK is still on the CFIA’s rabies-free list before you book

That status matters. Since 2022 Canada has banned commercial dogs (dogs for sale, breeding or adoption) from countries at high risk for dog rabies. The UK is not one of them. The CFIA also says pet dogs from any country are not subject to quarantine after they arrive. Unlike a move to Australia or New Zealand, there is no blood test and no months-long wait.

Dogs: the age rules

For a personal pet dog that travels with you, the rules depend on its age when it arrives.

The certificate must be in English or French and signed by a licensed vet. Either route is accepted for a UK dog, so ask your vet which certificate they can sign.

Cats

Kittens under 3 months have no import restrictions. Cats aged 3 months or more need a vet’s certificate, in English or French, that identifies the cat and shows one of these:

• A current rabies vaccination
• That the cat has lived for the 6 months before travel in a rabies-free country, such as the UK
• A rabies antibody blood test of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken at least 30 days after any earlier vaccination, with the lab report travelling with the cat

If the paperwork is missing or wrong, a border officer can order a rabies vaccination at your expense. The CBSA lists a fee of C$67.75 for the first animal and C$36.95 for each extra one for a vaccination order, on top of the vet’s bill.

Arriving in Canada

Declare your pet when you land. A CBSA officer checks the certificate and the animal. If your pet is not coming from the United States, the CBSA charges an import inspection fee of C$36.95 for the first animal and C$6.16 for each extra animal, plus GST or HST (sales tax) where it applies. That is about £20 for one pet at C$1.85 = £1. Check the live fee on the CBSA fees page

The CFIA has said in its 2025 to 2026 plan that it is working on ways to strengthen Canada’s dog import rules, and in 2022 it said it would look at tighter rules for pet dogs from high-risk countries. We found no new rule for pet dogs from the UK as of October 2026, but check the CFIA pet pages just before you travel.

Flights

Each airline sets its own pet policy, and they change. Small cats and dogs can sometimes fly in the cabin in a carrier under the seat; larger pets fly in the hold or as cargo, in an approved crate. Air Canada says that since 1 June 2025, pets in the cabin must be in a soft-sided carrier, and that pets can’t sit with you in an exit or bulkhead row. Not every route allows pets in the cabin, so ask the airline about your exact flight from the UK before you buy tickets.

• Book your pet’s place when you book your own seat; airlines limit how many animals each flight carries
• Ask whether your pet flies as checked baggage or as cargo; cargo is usually booked through the airline’s cargo desk or an agent
• Check the crate size and labelling rules
• Avoid connections if you can, especially in very hot or very cold months

What it costs

Canadian government fees are small. The flight, the crate and the vet visits make up most of the bill. Prices below are one UK pet shipper’s 2026 estimates for flying a pet from the UK, so get your own quotes. Estimate

The range depends mostly on your pet’s size and crate, the route and whether a pet transport agent handles it door to door. Add the UK vet visit for the certificate and any vaccination, plus the CBSA inspection fee. Put pet costs into the moving fund calculator.

Once you arrive

Check that your new home allows pets before you sign anything: see Finding a home to rent and Deposits and leases. Register with a local vet, and check your city’s rules on pet licences and any breed rules in your province. If you might move back one day, read Taking your pet from Canada to the UK early, as the UK sets its own rules for pets coming in.