Skip to main content

Pet Travel Documents

How to Get Canadian Pet Travel Documents?

If you want to bring your furry friend along when you travel abroad, chances are you’ll need Canadian travel documents for your pet. This document, signed and stamped by a licensed veterinarian, confirms that your dog or cat has the required vaccinations and certifications. At Bellamy-Lawrence Animal Hospital in Scarborough, our veterinarians offer vaccinations, microchipping, and anything else your pet may need to travel. We serve clients throughout the GTA.

Contact us today to book an appointment, and let us know if you need travel documents for your pet.

What do your pet travel documents contain?

The Canadian pet “passport” is actually called a Canadian International Health Certificate. It must accompany your pet when it crosses international borders. The documents state that your pet is fit and healthy to travel, and most countries require them before allowing you and your pet entry. It may contain the following:

  • Owner’s name, address, passport number
  • Animal’s name, species, breed, date of birth
  • Official veterinarian’s details
  • Rabies vaccination certificate
  • Microchip details
  • Health certificate
  • Optional photo
  • Rabies antibody titer test results
  • Additional parasite treatment records
  • Additional vaccinations recorded and treatment records
  • Anti-echinococcus treatment record

At a minimum, you’ll need vaccinations, a microchip, and a health certificate. However, the number of other vaccines and treatments your pet needs depends on the country you’re travelling to. Check the embassy of your destination country to find out what’s required.

Travelers should also check with the CFIA regarding what is needed documentation wise to travel and also check with their carrier as their requirements have been known to differ from CFIA requirements.

What a Veterinarian Does

A licensed veterinarian at Bellamy-Lawrence Animal Hospital can provide the following treatments for your Canadian pet travel documents.

  • Microchipping. A microchip is a tiny chip implanted just under your pet’s skin between its shoulder blades. The chip gives your pet a permanent identification number, so you can be reunited if it goes missing. Many countries require your pet to have a microchip.
  • Vaccinations. Most countries require proof of rabies vaccinations for cats, ferrets, and dogs. If the country you’re going to requires a rabies titer test, start the process three months before you leave because it involves blood test results which can take many weeks to get.
  • Health certificate. A health certificate stamped and signed by a licensed veterinarian is a mandatory entry requirement for pets in most countries. The certificate may also need to be endorsed by the country’s authority for importing and exporting animals.
  • Other treatments. Some countries may require proof of treatment for tapeworm, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza.

For exotic pets or endangered species, you may need additional permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Get Canadian Travel Documents For Your Pet In Scarborough

At Bellamy-Lawrence Animal Hospital, our veterinarians can provide everything your pet requires to travel, and we’ll sign and stamp your Canadian International Health Certificate. Contact us to get a passport for your pet and make an appointment at our clinic in Scarborough.