Banff, Alberta
by John McKiernan
Staff Writer
If you’re crossing borders to vacation in Banff or anywhere the Canadian Rockies, and you’re bringing a pet, you’ll want to have some basic information about border crossing with pets.
Your dog may not have to get a snap shot and fork out for a passport to get between countries but there are still regulations that need to be followed for it to cross borders. This applies not just for dogs but also for cats, birds, reptiles, horses and all other animals. Here are a few points to get you organized for the trip.
- You will most likely need a pet health certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian.
- Give yourself time before traveling to ensure you have all the correct documents for human and animals alike. Sometimes they can take a while to process.
- As with any traveling situation, there can always be confusion. The best idea is to directly contact the appropriate authority in whichever country you are traveling from and to. The links are provided below.
- In Canada: The National Animal Health Program is responsible for establishing import requirements for pets coming into Canada.
- In the United States:The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for the import of pets and other animals.