Destination Profile: Canada

Last verified: 24 February 2026
Competent health authority: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) / Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments (ACIA)
Official URL: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets

Global classification of the destination

Regulatory model

Model C: no general quarantine, with retention and inspection authority. Canada allows immediate entry after document and physical verification by CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) and CFIA, provided vaccination requirements are met. In case of incomplete documentation or invalid vaccine, CBSA may retain the animal or require vaccination at the point of entry at additional cost to the owner (Health of Animals Regulations).

Rabies status of the destination country

Advanced control. Free of canine urban rabies variant. Cases exist in wildlife (foxes, bats, raccoons). Canada is not rabies-free in the strict sense but maintains advanced control of the canine variant.
Source: WOAH — https://www.woah.org/en/disease/rabies/

Country-of-origin classification system

Yes. CFIA maintains its own list of rabies-free countries. All others are considered countries with presence of rabies and require a rabies vaccine. Peru is a country with presence of rabies. Almost all Latin American countries share this category. Uruguay has historically been recognised by CFIA as rabies-free; verify current status directly before starting any process from Uruguay.
Verification URL: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs

Requirements for dogs

Microchip

— Required standard: ISO 11784/11785 (Health of Animals Regulations).
— Is it mandatory? For personal pets there is no explicit federal microchip requirement, but it is mandatory for commercial import and highly recommended to ensure traceability of the rabies vaccine in any CBSA inspection.
— Must it be implanted before the vaccine? Yes, to ensure traceability of health history to the identified animal.
— Practical recommendation: implant the chip and include the 15-digit ISO number on the SENASA certificate before official endorsement. If the chip number does not match the certificate at CBSA inspection, a documentary discrepancy may arise.

Rabies vaccine

— Mandatory: Yes, for dogs over 3 months from countries with presence of rabies such as Peru (Health of Animals Regulations, https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs).
— Minimum age for vaccination: 3 months (90 days).
— Minimum post-vaccination period to travel: CFIA does not set a mandatory 21-day waiting period for entry. The vaccine must be valid at the time of arrival.
— Recognised validity: 1 or 3 years according to the manufacturer's label. The certificate must explicitly state the duration of immunity (1 year or 3 years). If the certificate does not state the duration, the CBSA inspector assumes 1-year validity, which may result in rejection if the vaccine is over 12 months old.
— Accepted vaccine types: inactivated or recombinant virus approved in the country of origin.
— If expired: the animal must be vaccinated before travel or upon arrival at the Canadian point of entry at increased inspection cost to the owner.

Rabies antibody titer test (RNATT)

Not required. CFIA does not require rabies antibody titer testing for entry of dogs from any country, including Peru (https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs). This is what makes Canada one of the most accessible destinations from Latin America alongside Chile.

Other vaccines required by entry regulations

CFIA does not require vaccines in addition to rabies as a federal import requirement.

However, SENASA — Peru's official veterinary authority — requires a complete and valid vaccination scheme to issue the International Export Health Certificate. For dogs: Distemper, Parvovirus, Infectious canine hepatitis, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza (valid five-in-one vaccine). Without this scheme SENASA does not certify. Verify directly at https://www.gob.pe/senasa before starting the process from Peru.

Antiparasitic treatments

Not identified in primary CFIA regulations as a mandatory requirement for pets from Peru. Canada does not require antiparasitic treatment prior to shipment for Case 2.

Health certificate

— Official name: Export Zoosanitary Certificate (CZE).
— Who may issue it: official veterinarian of the health authority of the country of origin. In Peru: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa). In Colombia: ICA. In Ecuador: AGROCALIDAD.
— Mandatory language: English or French, or bilingual Spanish-English format. A certificate issued only in Spanish is not valid before CBSA and causes delays and translation costs at the point of entry (Health of Animals Regulations).

— Validity time window: generally 10 days from official issue.
— Does it require endorsement? Yes. The certificate must bear the official signature and stamp of the government veterinarian of the country of origin. In Peru: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa). A certificate signed only by a private veterinarian without SENASA endorsement is not valid before CBSA.
— The certificate must specify: ISO microchip number, rabies vaccine name and lot number, date of application and duration of immunity (1 year or 3 years).

Official entry document

— The main document is the rabies vaccination certificate in English or French with official endorsement from the country-of-origin authority.
— Who issues it: SENASA in Peru (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) in bilingual format.
— Time window: 10 days from issue.
— Reference URL: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs

Mandatory digital forms

ArriveCAN is mandatory for the traveller but not specifically for the pet as a separate declaration. However, the owner must declare the pet upon arrival at CBSA. Verify the current status of ArriveCAN before travel at: https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/services/arrivecan.html

Quarantine

— Mandatory: No, as a routine.
— Conditional: Only for incomplete documentation, invalid vaccine or health concern. CBSA may retain the animal at the point of entry.

Breed restrictions

Not covered in this profile at federal level. At provincial level, Ontario bans the Pit Bull Terrier and similar breeds. Verify the regulations of the destination province directly before starting the process. Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90d16

Minimum age for entry

8 weeks. Puppies under 8 weeks may enter without rabies vaccine under strict CFIA conditions. Verify directly at https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs

Transport mode

Canada allows cabin baggage (PETC), hold (AVIH) and Manifest Cargo. It does not impose a mandatory mode federally (Health of Animals Regulations). Verify with the airline the conditions for the specific route from Peru.

Requirements for cats

Microchip

Same as dogs — see previous section. Recommended for traceability although not mandatory federally for personal pets.

Rabies vaccine

Same as dogs — see previous section. Mandatory for cats over 3 months from Peru and countries with presence of rabies.

Rabies antibody titer (RNATT)

Not required. CFIA does not require RNATT for cats from any country of origin.

Other vaccines required by entry regulations

CFIA does not require vaccines in addition to rabies for cats. However, SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) requires for cats a complete valid vaccination scheme to issue the International Export Health Certificate from Peru: Feline Triple (Calicivirus, Feline viral rhinotracheitis and Panleukopenia) plus rabies vaccine.

Antiparasitic treatments

Not identified in primary regulations consulted as a mandatory requirement for cats from Peru.

Health certificate

Same as dogs — see previous section. Issued and endorsed by SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) in Peru, in English or bilingual format.

Official entry document

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Mandatory digital forms

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Quarantine

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Breed restrictions

Not identified in primary regulations consulted for cats at federal or provincial level.

Minimum age for entry

Same as dogs — 8 weeks.

Transport mode

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Variations by country of origin

Differentiated requirements by origin? Yes, based on the country's rabies status according to CFIA's own list.

Risk classification system

CFIA's own list: rabies-free countries (exempt from rabies vaccine with residence certificate) and countries with presence of rabies (rabies vaccine mandatory). No RNATT in any category.
Verification URL: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs

Situation of Peru and Latin America

Peru is a country with presence of rabies according to CFIA. Rabies vaccine is mandatory. No RNATT. Certification is provided by SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa). Almost all Latin American countries share this classification. Uruguay has historically been recognised as rabies-free by CFIA; verify directly before starting any process from Uruguay.

Situation of rabies-free countries

Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Japan: they may be exempt from the rabies vaccine if they present an official certificate that rabies has not existed in the country for the last 6 months. They also require an official health certificate with endorsement from the country-of-origin authority.

The provincial warning that no other source explains

CFIA federal regulations apply uniformly at all Canadian entry points. However, each province has its own legislation on breeds considered dangerous. Ontario bans the Pit Bull Terrier and similar breeds under the Dog Owners' Liability Act since 2005. Manitoba has equivalent legislation. This means an owner can clear federal customs at Toronto Pearson Airport with no incident and face legal consequences when attempting to reside in Ontario with their animal. The final destination province must be verified before starting the process, not upon arrival.

Key difference from the EU, United Kingdom and Japan

Canada does not require RNATT from any country of origin. There is no 90-day post-RNATT wait, no accredited laboratories to search for, no 21-day post-vaccination wait. What Canada does require with rigour is documentary precision: the certificate must be in English or French, must state the duration of vaccine immunity, and must bear official SENASA endorsement. Those three points are where almost 100% of problems occur at the point of entry.

Common errors

ERROR 1: Certificate issued only in Spanish

What happens: SENASA issues the Export Zoosanitary Certificate in Spanish with no English version or bilingual format. The CBSA inspector cannot process it.
Regulatory consequence: delay at the point of entry and payment of sworn translation on site by the owner (Health of Animals Regulations).
How to prevent: request the bilingual Spanish-English format from SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) from the start of the process. Verify that the final document has both languages before leaving Lima.

ERROR 2: Certificate without duration of vaccine immunity

What happens: the certificate records the rabies vaccine but does not state whether immunity is 1 year or 3 years. The CBSA inspector automatically assumes 1-year validity.
Regulatory consequence: if the vaccine is between 12 and 36 months old and the certificate does not state that it is 3-year, the inspector considers it expired and requires revaccination at the point of entry at additional cost.
How to prevent: ensure the official veterinarian explicitly records the duration of immunity on the certificate before SENASA endorsement. The manufacturer's label should be attached to the document or the data clearly transcribed.

ERROR 3: Certificate without vaccine lot number

What happens: the certificate does not include the lot or serial number of the rabies vaccine applied.
Regulatory consequence: CBSA may consider the vaccine unverifiable and require revaccination at the airport at an approximate cost of 30 CAD plus taxes.
How to prevent: verify that the vaccine label is attached to the certificate and properly sealed, or that the lot number is explicitly transcribed on the document.

ERROR 4: Certificate signed only by private veterinarian without SENASA endorsement

What happens: the owner arrives at CBSA with the clinical veterinarian's document without the official SENASA stamp.
Regulatory consequence: document rejected by CBSA. A private certificate without endorsement from the government health authority has no federal validity in Canada (Health of Animals Regulations).
How to prevent: obtain official endorsement at SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) before travel.

ERROR 5: Travelling to Ontario with breeds banned by provincial law

What happens: the owner enters the country with no problem at federal customs at Pearson with a Pit Bull Terrier or similar breed and cannot reside in Ontario due to provincial ban.
Regulatory consequence: seizure of the animal and re-export under Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act.
How to prevent: verify the regulations of the final destination province before starting any process. Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90d16

ERROR 6: Confusing personal import with commercial import

What happens: the owner travels with more than two animals or with animals destined for third parties and declares them as personal pets.
Regulatory consequence: CFIA applies commercial import requirements, which include mandatory microchip and significantly stricter conditions, with possible retention of the animal.
How to prevent: classify the purpose of the trip correctly before starting the process with SENASA. Verify exact limits between personal and commercial import directly with CFIA at https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs

Minimum timeline from scratch

Scenario A — Animal with microchip and valid vaccination

— Day 0: full clinical examination by licensed veterinarian. Verification of valid vaccine with specified duration of immunity and lot number.
— Day 1-3: Export Zoosanitary Certificate at SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) in bilingual Spanish-English format with official endorsement.
— Day 4: verification of complete document (chip number, vaccine lot, duration of immunity, SENASA signature and stamp, language).
— Day 5: flight to Canada. Immediate release at the point of entry if documentation is complete.
— Minimum total time Scenario A: 5 days with vaccines already valid.

Scenario B — Animal with no prior history, from scratch

— Day 0: ISO microchip implantation + rabies vaccine with 3-year duration (recommended) + additional vaccines required by SENASA (five-in-one for dogs, feline triple for cats). Minimum age 90 days completed.
— Day 14-21: recommended waiting period to ensure immunity (CFIA does not legally require 21 days, but it is the recommended practice for SENASA to certify with confidence).
— Day 22-25: Export Zoosanitary Certificate at SENASA in bilingual format.
— Day 28-31: flight to Canada.
— Minimum total time Scenario B: approximately 30 days from scratch.

Authorised points of entry

There is no specific airport restriction: animals may enter through any international entry point with CBSA presence. The main ones from Latin America are:

CBSA inspection takes place at the first point of entry into the country, whether or not it is the final destination or a stopover.
Official URL: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/menu-eng.html

Directory of authorities

Cited current regulations

1. Health of Animals Regulations (C.R.C., c. 296) — Federal regulatory framework for the import of animals into Canada, including companion animals. URL: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/c.r.c.,_c._296/ — Verified: 24 February 2026.
2. Dog Owners' Liability Act (Ontario) — Provincial legislation of Ontario on restrictions for breeds considered dangerous. URL: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90d16 — Verified: 24 February 2026.
3. CFIA Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) — Official reference system to verify updated import requirements. URL: https://inspection.canada.ca — Verified: 24 February 2026.
4. CFIA — Importing pets into Canada — Updated official operational guide for the import of pets from third countries. URL: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets — Verified: 24 February 2026.

Canada seems the simplest destination in this collection because it has no RNATT, no waiting periods, and no airport restriction. And at heart it is, but it is also the destination where the most problems occur for exactly that reason: the owner arrives confident and the problem appears in the certificate details. If the document does not state whether the vaccine is 1 or 3 year, the inspector assumes 1 year and an 18-month vaccine that should be valid becomes expired at the same CBSA counter. If the document is in Spanish, a translation must be paid for on the spot. If the certificate was signed by the private veterinarian without the SENASA stamp, the document does not exist legally. And if the animal is going to Ontario and has any resemblance to a Pit Bull, the problem is not federal but provincial and has no solution at the airport. Documentary perfection is the only real requirement of Canada, and SENASA must issue from the start in bilingual format with all fields complete.

This profile was verified against primary official sources on February 24, 2026. Requirements may change without prior notice. Always verify directly with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) before initiating any export process from Peru.