I’ll start this off by saying the whole process was much easier than I expected but being over prepared and organizing myself way in advance was probably a big contributing factor to that. This post is about all of the steps I took in preparing to move my dog from Canada to a European country, France.

Note: please make sure to check regulations with both countries as rules may have been updated since my departure and this is not an official source of information

Reading List

Meeka is a 60 lbs Husky mix that was about 2.5 years old when we left. There are different rules for dogs under 18 months and for certain breeds.

Read ALL the rules for both countries around bringing pets. Here are a few I referenced frequently:

Non-commercial movement from non-EU countries — European Commission

Non-commercial Export of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets to the European Union - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Meeka's Face
Meeka and how we both feel about paperwork

What Your Dog Needs

  1. Microchip

    • Luckily Meeka had already gotten one about 8 months before so that step was done. The Ottawa Human Society does monthly clinics for inserting microchips at a reasonable cost — it’s a 5 min procedure you just need to book in advance to get a spot.

    • You’ll need the number of her microchip on a few documents so keep it handy.

  2. Rabies Vaccination & Proof

    • The same rules apply for Canadian dogs as well so this was easy. Canada allows the vaccination every 3 years so I would just confirm that you’ll be covered for the length of your trip. You can get a vaccination right before you go and won’t harm the animal if they’re still inside the 3 year period.

    • One thing to note however is that the rabies vaccination must be given AFTER the microchip insertion. Meeka had to go back to the vet and get a new vaccination that could be associated with her microchip. The vet scans her chip right before giving her the vaccine to make sure it’s her.

    • Your vet should have given you a receipt, letter or document that certifies she’s covered. If you don’t have this, you can easily call your vet and ask for a new copy of the rabies vaccination certificate.

  3. Scan and Save All Documents Digitally

Meeka and friends in snow
Keep going, that was the easy part.

What You Need to Get

Once you have all the preliminary requirements done, here is the list of things you’ll need to get just before you travel.

  1. Signed document from the vet that says your pup is healthy 10 days prior to the travel date.

  2. CIFA stamp of approval 10 days prior to the travel date

    • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (food? I know right) control all live animal import and export for the country (mainly around livestock but that includes your beloved pet as well). They need to approve your request to export a dog out of Canada — this costs $20. Be sure to read through all of the CIFA requirements. There’s a few things you’ll need before getting approved by CIFA, here are some resources:

    • Once your flight is booked, book an appointment (aim for 4-5 days before your travel date) at CIFA. I booked CIFA first then called my vet and booked an appointment with them a few days before that but still within the 10 days prior to travel. You don’t bring the dog to CIFA, you just show up with all the documentation, they read it over and you pay your fee for another stamp of approval. Because the time period is so specific and limited, give yourself plenty of notice — I had about 2-3 months of time when booking with CIFA.

    • What you bring to your CIFA appointment:

      • Original or certified copy of the current rabies certificate.
      • Documentary evidence of your flight (I printed my flight reservation confirmation)
      • Certification document signed by vet within the 10 day period
      • $20.00

Checklist from CIFA to help:
Non-Commercial Movement of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets to the European Union - Checklist - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Package It Up

I made sure to scan and save all documentation digitally where I could access it online — you can also just emailed it to yourself. I kept the original copies of everything, plus some of her regular vaccination documents, in a folder that would come with me on my trip. You’ll be expected to present everything at the border when you arrive in France.

After all that you’re good to go!

Well almost, if you’re flying, you’ll need a special crate — blog post coming soon.

Meeka rolling around
Just picture the moment when you're actually there.