How to Travel to Canada by Car With a Dog

Bringing the family dog along on a vacation may sound like a lot of trouble, but both your family and your pet will surely enjoy it. Traveling by air with a dog can be expensive and traumatic, but making the journey in the car is very low hassle.

Things You'll Need

  • Passport
  • Rabies certificate
  • International certificate of health examination for small animals
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure your dog's rabies vaccination is up to date. If it isn't, plan to get your dog vaccinated before you leave on the trip.

    • 2

      Plan a visit to your veterinarian within 30 days of your trip. Tell your vet of your intentions to travel to Canada, and that you will need a rabies certificate and an international health exam certificate for your dog.

    • 3

      Go to your vet appointment. After a quick check up, your vet will issue you an international health exam certificate. You will need to pay a $20 fee for the certificate. You will also need to bring with you the address of your destination in Canada for inclusion on the form.

    • 4

      Ask the vet for a rabies certificate. The certificate needs to show that your dog's vaccine is up-to-date. The certificate also must contain a description of your dog along with the specific date, serial number and manufacturer of the rabies vaccine.

    • 5

      Pack the necessary travel documents for your dog in a convenient place, probably in the glove compartment or with your family's passports.

    • 6

      When you arrive at the border checkpoint in Canada, have the required documents ready for inspection by the border agent. Tell the border agent that you are traveling with a dog. Keep in mind that the border agent may not ask to see all of your documents, but it is the law that you have them in the car with you.