As the old saying goes the ‘world has become a smaller place’ and this certainly rings true as we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people travelling with their pets.
Travelling with your pet and ensuring appropriate paperwork and permits have been completed can be a rather daunting experience. These requirements vary from country to country and may require 6-8 months careful planning prior to your trip, particularly for places with ‘rabies free’ status, such as New Zealand, Japan, Hawaii and the U.K. (just to name a few!).
Prior to your travel appointment at Yaletown we recommend following these 3 simple steps:
- Call the embassy/consulate of the country you are travelling to and ask them about current requirements for importation of a pet into the country.
- Speak with the Airline you are planning on travelling with. Some airline companies may have restrictions on carrying brachiocephalic pets and specific requirements for the kennel used to transport your pet.
- Contact the Canadian Food Inspection Authority (CFIA) as they will be able to provide you with the appropriate export documentation required. You will also need to schedule an appointment with a government vet at the CFIA to sign the certification once it has been completed by your veterinarian.
The CFIA office in Burnaby provides service for all pets travelling in the Vancouver and Richmond area. They can be contacted via phone or email:
CFIA BURNABY
Suite 150, 3001 Wayburne Drive
Burnaby, British Columbia
V5G 4W3
Telephone: 604-666-7075
Here is a link to information regarding exportation documents on their website:
If you would like complete guidance throughout the process, we recommend you contact Worldwide Animal Travel (www.animaltravel.com/) whom will assist you with the above steps.