Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Does anyone know what the rules are for taking a dog to Canada from the UK in terms of rabies/immunisations etc etc....my vet states that my dog needs a blood test 6 months before we go to prove that she is rabies free. I mention the pet passport scheme but she had not heard of it.
Any advice would be welcome
many thanks
lns

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Your Vet had never heard of the Pet Passport ? you need to find a new vet :sneaky:

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

yip thats what I though!!!

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

We have had both our done and as far as I am aware you dont need the passport , only the rabies shots and then the final blood test and then fit to fly cert before the flight......................honest you need to find a new vet

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

We just needed 1 rabies vac per dog and a fit to fly certificate. I organised the rabies jabs about 2-3 months before we flew and vet here gave them second jab 12 months later. No blood work. I believe the blood work is required if going into the UK but not for Canada

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Hiya - well having been through it all etc. . .

They need a rabies jab and the relevant paperwork to show they have had a rabies jab to enter Canada -along with other usual up to date vaccines - plus flea, tick and worm stuff.

To fly they need a Fit to Fly certificate from the vet.

With regard the pet passport, they do not need this to leave Uk and enter Canada, also they DO NOT need it to go back to the UK PROVIDED you have kept all vaccinations up to date AND have had the RABIES BLOOD WORK DONE AND THEY ARE UP TO THE RELEVANT TITRE LEVEL. Your Canadian vet can they fill in the necessary paper work for them to return - BUT its not necc for them to have the full passport thing.

With regard the bloods -this shows that the rabies vacc has "taken". They can travel back into the UK 6 months from when the bloods were taken, provided that the results indicate that the titre level is high enough. If you travel before the 6 months they will have to go into quarrantine in the UK until the 6 month date comes intp effect. Also note the date is from the bloods are taken, not when you get the result back- which can take up to 3 months!

Also note that they MUST be micro chipped BEFORE being rabies jabbed and blood tested - as the micro chip number needs to be linked to the rabies jab and blood test. People have had the jab and the titre levels checked and then been refused as the animals werent micro chipped - the whole thing has to be started again AFTER the micro chip -= so could add another 6 months etc if trying to get back to UK .

How do I know all this>

We came over with the dogs chipped and vacced, but not titred. Hit a wall at 6months in and seriously considered going back, so got the bloods done here so that they dogs could travel if and when!

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

this explains it clearly clicky clicky
apparently you do NOT need a rabies vaccination. However, as Canada has a presence of Rabies (12 cases between Jan and March 2010) it is recommended. There is no waiting period between vaccination and import.

lots of questions answered here although it does contradict itself regarding rabies...

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Slightly different angle - does anyone know what happens to animals (in my case cats) who have already been microchipped and registered to an address in UK? Assume they have to be chipped again, do they remove the original chip, or end up with two chips?

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

If already chipped then you shouldn't have to worry about getting them done again. I know Canada may use a different scanning system but I am sure I have seen posted previously where the dog owner was able to get a scanner that worked.

Mine where chipped in the UK and haven't done anything regarding it here and my vet knows they are chipped

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Hi singingringingtree......my understanding is that the UK chip is ok.....but as suggested needs a different reader than the standard canadian one. I suspect that these are available at ports of entry.
You could have a second chip inserted....(indeed our two boys will have this done!!) and NO they don't take out the first one....it's only the size of a rice grain;)Also....if you DID decide to return to the UK.....then the UK chip would , once again, be needed!!!!
Steveh

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Thanks Silverdragon and steveh. :thumbup:

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

I have UK cat and a Canadian cat. The UK cat has a UK chip which he came over with. We were recently thinking about going home so we needed them both with chips, rabies shots and titres done.
Get your money ready is my advice :eek:

UK chip easily read by Canadian reader, no probs at all. Canadian chip was put in Canadian cat. Vet says that readers now can check all kinds of chips.

If you do think of going back (I know you are on your way here, but the numbers might help others), two cats cost:
Microchip 1 cat, rabies shots for two cats = $280 (incl tax)
3 weeks later, blood test by vet = $90 each
Sending the blood serum to Kansas for titre = $200 each :blink:
Taking the cats to Toronto instead of UK = priceless ;)

At least they are done now (well I hope they are, test results not back yet), so if we change our mind again (;)) we can just pack up and get on a plane rather that wait 6-7 months.

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Wow ... we've got four!

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

If there is any doubt you might take them back to the UK, it might be worth getting the titres done before you leave the UK, and then you just keep the rabies shots up to date every 3 years or so. My mum used to work in a vets, and said those Canadian prices are huge compared to what they used to charge.

Re: Rabies rules for immigrating pets from UK to Canada
 

Hi
Looked into this one quite extensively. The UK does not have Rabies, so you need to vaccinate against your pet getting Rabies as Canada does have Rabies. You do not need the Pet Passport to take your pets, but if there is any likelihood of you needing to bring them back to the UK, you need a Pet Passport or they would have to go into quarantine here. For the Pet Passport they have to have the vaccine followed by a blood test a couple of weeks later to prove they have immunity and once in Canada you would have to keep the vaccines up to date, or the P P would be no use.

For entry into Canada you only have to show that they have had the vaccine....not that they have immunity to Rabies, so the blood test is not really necessary, unless you want them to have that for your reassurance.

I say this because I have recently embarked down the P P route, and as my dog does have serious allergy issues it would have meant that due to her use of steroids, the first vaccine may or may not have worked, so a second one was planned. After the first injection, she had a massive allergic reaction which took 2 weeks to bring back under control, so it was decided that she would not go for the second jab and therefore no blood test as the P P was not appropriate in her case. It is recorded in her records that she has had the vaccine and that it lasts for 3 years. Whether that alone would be enough to keep her immune to rabies is another issue, but due to her allergies, she is mostly a house dog...so I don't think there is much likelihood of her coming into contact with anything else.

The Pet Passport is not cheap. Initially I paid £187 and then another £30 for the second Jab...which had to be refunded when we had to stop the scheme. That did include the bloodwork.

So to recap, you only NEED to have your pet microchipped, up to date with their normal vaccines, a rabies jab and a fitness to fly certificate from the vet a couple of days before it flies.
Hope this helps
Stef