Flying with a Dog from Colombia to Canada — Requirements

Dogs 3 months (approximately 91 days) of age and older must carry a valid rabies vaccination certificate. The certificate must: (1) be written in English or French — a Spanish-only certificate must be translated before travel; (2) be issued by a licensed veterinarian in Colombia; (3) clearly identify the dog; (4) show the dog is currently vaccinated against rabies. Dogs under 3 months of age are exempt from this requirement.

All dogs — including personal pets — must be declared to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer upon arrival in Canada. Carry original copies of all required documents (rabies certificate or RNATT lab report) and proof of ownership. Failure to declare your pet may result in refusal of entry, confiscation, or detention. No import fee is charged for personal pet dogs.

Instead of a rabies vaccination certificate, you may present a Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) showing a titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml. The test must be taken at least 3 to 4 weeks after any prior rabies vaccination. The laboratory report must accompany the dog and properly identify the animal. This is an alternative to the vaccination certificate — use one or the other, not both.

As of September 28, 2022, all commercial dogs from Colombia (a country at high risk for dog rabies) are permanently prohibited from entering Canada. Commercial dogs include those for resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show or exhibition, research, or other purposes. Only personal pet dogs traveling with their owner are permitted entry.