Pet Wiki / Countries / Canada Dogs in Canada: rules, tax and travel Dog and cat licensing, leash rules and animal welfare are set by provinces and cities, not federally. CFIA and CBSA control what pets can enter the country.
Dogs Cats Provinces and territories set animal welfare law, and cities and municipalities set dog licensing, leash rules, licence fees and animal limits.
Breed rules Where Rule Breeds and notes Ontario Banned American Pit Bull Terrier , Staffordshire Bull Terrier , American Staffordshire Terrier , American Pit Bull Terrier , dogs substantially similar in appearance and physical characteristicsDog Owners' Liability Act (Bill 132, in force 29 Aug 2005): no new pit bulls may be owned, bred, imported or transferred; grandfathered 'restricted pit bulls' must be sterilised, muzzled and on a leash of max 1.8 m off the owner's property (O. Reg. 157/05). [1]
Winnipeg, Manitoba Banned American Pit Bull Terrier , Staffordshire Bull Terrier , American Staffordshire Terrier , any dog with the predominant appearance of these breeds, incl. most American BulliesResponsible Pet Ownership By-law: pit bulls may not be brought into the City of Winnipeg (city council voted to keep the ban in 2022). [2]
Dog tax and licence Dog tax No national dog tax. Municipal licence fees exist in many places and are set by the city.[3]
Licence or owner test Dog licences are issued by cities and municipalities under local by-laws, not federally.[3]
Other rules Provinces and territories are responsible for animal welfare after import. Municipalities regulate the number and types of animals kept.[3]
Travelling to Canada with a dog From an EU country Personal pets need a rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed vet if the pet is 3 months or older, in English or French, with vaccine name, serial number and dates. EU pet passports are reported to be accepted if they carry these details. Finland, Ireland and Sweden are on CFIA's rabies-free list and are treated differently (a certificate of origin instead of a vaccine). No quarantine for personal pets with correct papers.[4]
From outside the EU Personal dogs and cats from most countries need the same rabies vaccination certificate (3 months or older). Rabies-free countries on the CFIA list: Australia, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom. Commercial dogs (resale, adoption, breeding, show, research) from high-risk rabies countries are banned since 28 September 2022. Dogs under 8 months travelling without the owner have extra rules.[3]
Rabies antibody test A titre test is not mandatory for personal pets; it is described as an alternative route, not a requirement.[4]
Quarantine No quarantine for personal pets with correct documents.[4]
Rules by province or territory 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British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Québec New Brunswick Yukon Nunavut Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Prince Edward Island
Not confirmed yet: Registration, Microchip, Liability insurance, Leash and muzzle, Tapeworm treatment. We only show what an official or named source states.
Laws change: this is general information, not legal advice. The authority linked on each line has the final word.