International Travel with Your Pet
Planning international travel with your pet can be complex. Every country has different import requirements, timelines, and documentation needs. Our team can help you navigate the veterinary requirements and prepare your pet for international travel.
Start planning 6–12 months before travel
Some destinations require months of preparation, including vaccinations, blood testing, waiting periods, import permits, and government endorsements.
What We Offer
We provide veterinary support for pets preparing to travel internationally. Our team can help review your pet’s medical records, coordinate travel-related appointments, administer required treatments, complete health certificates, and prepare supporting documentation.
Travel-Related Appointments
Schedule appointments to review your pet’s health records, discuss destination requirements, and plan the veterinary steps needed before departure.
Health Certificates and Documentation
We can complete veterinary health certificates and prepare supporting documentation according to the requirements you provide.
Vaccinations, Testing and Treatments
We can help arrange required vaccinations, laboratory testing, and parasite treatments based on your destination’s requirements.
Export Services
We assist with the veterinary requirements and paperwork involved in preparing dogs and cats for international export, including documentation that may require CFIA endorsement.
How to Get Started
1. Research Your Destination
Check the official government requirements for importing a pet into your destination country. Identify required vaccinations, microchip standards, blood tests, waiting periods, permits, quarantine, and health certificates.
2. Confirm Airline Requirements
Check the official government requirements for importing a pet into your destination country. Identify required vaccinations, microchip standards, blood tests, waiting periods, permits, quarantine, and health certificates.
3. Prepare for Your Export Consultation
Complete our export intake form and gather your pet’s medical records and destination-country requirements. Our team can review the information and help plan the necessary veterinary appointments and documentation.
Important: You are responsible for researching import requirements
Our team can help with veterinary care and documentation, but pet parents are responsible for researching and providing the destination country’s import requirements. Requirements can change without notice, so always verify them with the appropriate official government authority.
New Client Process
New to Point Grey Veterinary Hospital?
We welcome new clients seeking export services, including those who may need a new client examination before getting started. If you have questions about our services or the process, please contact our team. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the next steps.
Export Services
Every destination has different requirements. Depending on the country, your pet’s export preparation may involve several steps that must be completed within specific timelines.
Our team can assist with the veterinary components of the process, including:
Medical record review
Review your pet’s medical history and vaccination records.
Vaccinations and microchip review
Review vaccination status, microchip details, and applicable requirements.
Laboratory testing
Arrange required blood tests, including rabies antibody titre testing when applicable.
Required treatments
Administer required parasite treatments and other veterinary treatments.
Health certificates
Complete the applicable veterinary health certificate and supporting paperwork.
CFIA endorsement preparation
Prepare the required veterinary documentation for government endorsement, when applicable.
Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) Vaccine
Contact our team to discuss your dog’s vaccination needs and travel timeline.
International Travel Resource Guide
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
The CFIA also provides export information and guidance for many destinations.
CFIA Pet Export Information:
https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/exports/pets
CFIA Endorsement Appointments
Many countries require official CFIA endorsement of export documents within a specific timeframe before travel. Because appointment availability may be limited, we recommend contacting the CFIA as soon as your travel plans are confirmed.
The Burnaby CFIA office may book endorsement appointments several weeks in advance. If appointments are unavailable, other offices, such as Surrey, Abbotsford, or Victoria, may have availability.
Destination Country Government Authorities
The most reliable source of information is the government agency responsible for animal importation in your destination country.
Although CFIA guidance can be helpful, requirements may change and may not always be updated immediately. Whenever possible, verify requirements directly through the destination country’s official government website, embassy, or agricultural authority.
Airline Requirements
Airlines may have requirements that are separate from country import regulations.
These may include:
- Additional health certificates
- Crate specifications
- Breed restrictions
- Temperature restrictions
- Advance booking requirements
- Documentation requirements for cargo travel
Contact your airline directly and well in advance of travel to confirm their requirements.
Pet Travel Agencies
Some pet parents choose to work with a professional pet travel agency to assist with the planning and logistics of international pet travel.
Pet travel agencies may be able to help with:
- Researching import requirements
- Creating a travel timeline
- Coordinating flights and transportation
- Arranging cargo travel
- Assisting with import permits
- Reviewing travel documentation
- Communicating with airlines and destination-country authorities
Using a pet travel agency is not required, but these services can be particularly helpful when travelling to countries with complex import requirements or when relocating internationally.
Worldwide Animal Travel
Worldwide Animal Travel is a local pet travel agency specializing in international pet transportation. They can assist with travel planning, documentation requirements, flight arrangements, and transportation logistics.
Please note that pet travel agencies operate independently of our clinic. We recommend conducting your own research and selecting the service provider that best meets your needs.
Additional Resources
PetTravel.com
PetTravel.com can be a useful starting point for researching country-specific requirements:
https://www.pettravel.com/country-pet-import-requirements/
Please note: This resource should be used as a secondary reference. All requirements should be verified through official government sources.
USDA APHIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) often publishes detailed country-specific export guidance.
Please note that APHIS requirements are written for pets departing from the United States and may differ from Canadian export requirements.
Research Checklist
Before your export consultation, we recommend gathering information about the following:
Travel Eligibility
- Are any dog or cat breeds restricted or prohibited?
- Is there a minimum age requirement for import?
- Are there seasonal restrictions?
Identification Requirements
- Is a microchip required?
- Must the microchip be ISO compliant?
- Does the microchip need to be implanted before vaccinations or laboratory testing?
Rabies Vaccination Requirements
- Is rabies vaccination required?
- What are the minimum and maximum timelines before travel?
- Are booster vaccinations required?
- Is proof of previous rabies vaccinations required?
- Are there age restrictions for vaccination?
Important: Lapsed Rabies Vaccines
If a booster is given after the expiry date—even by one day—it may not be accepted as a continuation of the previous vaccination. It may instead be treated as a new vaccination, which can affect travel eligibility and may restart waiting periods or other requirements.
If your pet has had previous rabies vaccinations, carefully review the vaccination dates when researching your destination’s requirements.
Other Vaccination Requirements
- Are additional vaccines required?
- Are booster vaccinations required?
- What are the timing requirements?
- Are there minimum age requirements?
Laboratory Testing
- Are blood tests required?
- Which tests are required?
- Which testing method must be used?
- FAVN
- ELISA
- IFAT
- Other
- What are the minimum and maximum testing timelines?
Parasite Treatments
- Tapeworms
- Ticks
- Heartworm
- Other parasites
Also confirm:
- Are specific medications required?
- What are the required administration timelines?
Import Permits and Quarantine
- Is an import permit required?
- Is quarantine required?
- Are there additional requirements associated with these processes?
Final Veterinary Examination and Health Certificate
- When must the final examination be completed?
- When must the health certificate be issued?
- Does the health certificate require CFIA endorsement?
- Are original signatures required?
- Are there requirements regarding paper size, ink colour, stamps, or notarization?
We’re Here to Help
Our goal is to make your pet’s travel process as smooth and stress-free as possible. The more information you can gather before your consultation, the more effectively our team can help develop a personalized travel timeline and complete the veterinary requirements for your pet.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about our export process, please contact us by phone or email. Our team is happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process.
We look forward to helping you and your pet prepare for a safe and successful journey.