Saturday, March 24, 2007

What do you need to take a dog across the border from the U.S. to Canada?

Who's asking: Me, Claire, Claire's friend Steve

This came up last weekend when I went to Montreal (once again) without Dizzy. "You should have brought Dizzy," Steve said, and Claire, at whose altar Dizzy worships, agreed. I said I didn't know whether Americans were allowed to bring dogs into Canada, or what was required.

Since I'm going back to Montreal next weekend (to see Claire and her friend Steve in The Merchant of Venice), I figured I'd look up the requirements for transporting pets across the U.S./Canada border.

I won't take Dizzy next weekend, since I'll be sharing a hotel room, but it turns out that it's pretty easy to take your pet across the northern border. All the dog needs is a valid rabies vaccination certificate, and to be free of any apparent illness that could be contagious to humans.

The heat wave (41F now!) is melting the ice on the river fast. Dizzy stood on the bank at Gardiner Landing this morning and barked at a drifting ice floe. I wish I knew what he expected it to do.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Taking pets into Canada may not be that difficult, but have you checked to see what problems you might encounter when you return? We have two parrots, and can take them into Canada with no problem. However, bringing them back into the states, presents another problem. We must make an appointment in advance with the US Vet before we leave the States for our return trip. This appointment must be between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Making the appointment for our return trip, requires that we had already taken them to see the US Vet, for an examination and obtain a health certificated for them. We must have all their papers with proof that their innoculations are up to date. This is a must, because if we want to return to the states with them, we will be held at the boarder until the US Vet can examine them, and without advance exam and the health certificates, there is a possibility that the US will not let us bring them back with us. I would love to take our little dogs with us, but I have no idea how difficult it will be to return to the states with them. We hire a sitter for the birds and the dogs.

Ellen Clair Lamb said...

Good point. I have no idea what the requirements are to take dogs back into the U.S.

I expect that fears of avian flu and the international treaties that govern trade in exotic birds make it much harder to transport parrots than dogs across borders.

Anonymous said...

Hi - Here's a link to the Canadian importation requirements: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/import/petse.shtml