Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Brazil → Canada
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
How early to start
3 days
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
3 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Brazil is in the group “Not on CFIA's rabies-free list” in Bringing a pet dog or cat into Canada’s published list.See every group
What your dog needs
Dogs
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination certificate
Bring a valid rabies vaccination certificate (in English or French, signed by a licensed vet, showing the vaccine and how long it protects). CFIA doesn't list a waiting period after vaccination.
Details and the official words
If the certificate doesn't state the duration of immunity, Canada treats it as valid for 1 year from the vaccination date.
If this is missed: The owner must have the pet vaccinated against rabies within a set time, at their own expense, and show the record to a CFIA office.
“a valid rabies vaccination certificate”
“a valid rabies vaccination certificate or a valid Rabies Country-Freedom Certificate”
“specify the duration of immunity (otherwise, it will be considered valid for 1 year from the date of vaccination)”
“state that the animal has been in the exporting country since birth or for at least 6 months immediately preceding the date of export to Canada”
On arrival
Healthy and transported humanely
Your dog must appear healthy on arrival and travel in line with Canada's humane transportation requirements.
Details and the official words
“the dog appears healthy and meets humane transportation requirements”
Official stamp
Request the CVI from MAPA
To travel abroad you must ask MAPA for an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI), the document that shows your pet is healthy enough to enter another country. For many destinations the request is made online, on Gov.br, and for several of them only by a vet registered on the platform; the request window depends on the destination (see the timing). Read the destination's 'Manual do Cidadão' on MAPA's page first.
Details and the official words
For the United States, no physical stamp ('chancela') is needed on the CVI; the request is made only by a vet registered on Gov.br.
Japan: your private vet still has to stamp and sign the vet space on the CVI before the trip.
“Os interessados precisam solicitar ao Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária (MAPA) a emissão do Certificado Veterinário Internacional (CVI), documento que comprova a boa condição sanitária do animal para ingressar em outro país.”
“Cães entre 5 e 2 dias anteriores ao embarque. Gatos entre 10 e 3 dias anteriores ao embarque.”
“Apenas para destino México a solicitação pode ser enviada de 14 e 3 dias anteriores ao embarque.”
“Solicitação do CVI eletrônico com destino ao Japão é feita exclusivamente por médicos veterinários habilitados no Gov.Br”
Good to know
- MAPA updates its 'Sair do Brasil' page country by country, and says the rest of the destinations will move to the online system by the end of the year. Check the destination's 'Manual do Cidadão' on that page before you apply: errors or missing documents send the request back and the review time starts again.
- For Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela the certificate is issued electronically but still needs a physical stamp from MAPA's official vet at a VIGIAGRO unit.
What your cat needs
Cats
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination certificate
Bring a valid rabies vaccination certificate (in English or French, signed by a licensed vet, showing the vaccine and how long it protects). CFIA doesn't list a waiting period after vaccination.
Details and the official words
If the certificate doesn't state the duration of immunity, Canada treats it as valid for 1 year from the vaccination date.
If this is missed: The owner must have the pet vaccinated against rabies within a set time, at their own expense, and show the record to a CFIA office.
“a valid rabies vaccination certificate”
“a valid rabies vaccination certificate or a valid Rabies Country-Freedom Certificate”
“specify the duration of immunity (otherwise, it will be considered valid for 1 year from the date of vaccination)”
“state that the animal has been in the exporting country since birth or for at least 6 months immediately preceding the date of export to Canada”
Official stamp
Request the CVI from MAPA
To travel abroad you must ask MAPA for an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI), the document that shows your pet is healthy enough to enter another country. For many destinations the request is made online, on Gov.br, and for several of them only by a vet registered on the platform; the request window depends on the destination (see the timing). Read the destination's 'Manual do Cidadão' on MAPA's page first.
Details and the official words
For the United States, no physical stamp ('chancela') is needed on the CVI; the request is made only by a vet registered on Gov.br.
Japan: your private vet still has to stamp and sign the vet space on the CVI before the trip.
“Os interessados precisam solicitar ao Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária (MAPA) a emissão do Certificado Veterinário Internacional (CVI), documento que comprova a boa condição sanitária do animal para ingressar em outro país.”
“Cães entre 5 e 2 dias anteriores ao embarque. Gatos entre 10 e 3 dias anteriores ao embarque.”
“Apenas para destino México a solicitação pode ser enviada de 14 e 3 dias anteriores ao embarque.”
“Solicitação do CVI eletrônico com destino ao Japão é feita exclusivamente por médicos veterinários habilitados no Gov.Br”
Good to know
- MAPA updates its 'Sair do Brasil' page country by country, and says the rest of the destinations will move to the online system by the end of the year. Check the destination's 'Manual do Cidadão' on that page before you apply: errors or missing documents send the request back and the review time starts again.
- For Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela the certificate is issued electronically but still needs a physical stamp from MAPA's official vet at a VIGIAGRO unit.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Brazil to Canada?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into Canada?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog be quarantined in Canada?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
The official rules we have verified for this route don't list a microchip requirement.