Pet travel from Canada to the Netherlands

2. Rabies vaccination

A dog/cat/ferret traveling with you from Canada to the Netherlands must be vaccinated against rabies. Microchip implantation must always occur prior to rabies vaccination! Vaccination against rabies before microchip implantation will not be valid, even if the dog/cat/ferret is up-to-date with its previous rabies vaccines. If your dog/cat/ferret is vaccinated before microchip implantation, your dog/cat/ferret must be revaccinated.

A. Please make sure the rabies vaccination of your dog/cat/ferret is valid at the time of travel. A rabies vaccination is valid until the expiration date of the vaccination. If necessary, please get your dog/cat/ferret revaccinated.

B. If it is the first time that your dog/cat/ferret gets the rabies vaccination after being micro-chipped, please be aware that the rabies vaccination should be given at least 21 days before the pet’s departure date to the Netherlands.

C. If your ferret is under 3 months of age, it is not allowed to travel from Canada to the Netherlands. If your dog/cat is under 3 months of age, a rabies vaccination is necessary.

D. A dog/cat must be at least 15 weeks old to travel from Canada to the Netherlands. First the pet needs to get an approved microchip as described above. After having received the microchip, and when the dog/cat is 12 weeks old, the dog/cat can be given a rabies vaccination. As it takes three weeks for the rabies vaccination to be activated, the dog/cat must wait an additional three weeks before the dog/cat is allowed to travel. In addition, the dog/cat of 15 weeks old must also travel with a veterinarian health certificate from an accredited veterinarian. The veterinarian health certificate must declare that the dog/cat resided at the birthplace until travel date and has not been in contact with any animals possibly infected with rabies.

E. Please note that a rabies blood test is not required because both the Canada and are low risk regions for rabies as described in Annex II EC regulation 998/2003.

F. For travel with your dog/cat/ferret from Canada to the Netherlands a tick treatment or an echinococcus treatment is not required.

3. Veterinarian Health Certificate

If your dog/cat/ferret is traveling with you from the Canada to the Netherlands, your dog/cat/ferret must be clinically examined and the veterinarian health certificate signed by a veterinarian. Download Veterinarian Healh Certificate for Pet Travel from Canada to NL.

Examination of your dog/cat/ferret can be done by an official veterinarian (government) and endorsement from the Canada Department is not necessary.

Examination of your dog/cat/ferret can also be done by an accredited veterinarian (practitioner) but endorsement from the Canada Department is necessary. For more information about endorsement please click on the following link: Endorsement Veterinarian Health Certificate by the Canadian Department of Agriculture.

After the certificate has been signed by the veterinarian it is valid for 10 days for entry into the Netherlands. For travel of your dog/cat/ferret with you to the Netherlands a veterinary certificate is mandatory, unless your dog/cat/ferret is travelling with a valid EU pet passport. The EU pet passport needs to be signed by a European veterinarian. For more information about a pet passport, please click on: Information about a European pet passport.

Pet traveling without caretaker/owner from Canada to the Netherlands

A dog/cat/ferret traveling alone (without owner or caretaker) from the Canada to the Netherlands, or traveling as a commercial animal, is considered commercial trade (cargo), and therefore subject to the requirements described below.

1. Microchip -- If your dog/cat/ferret is traveling without its caretaker or owner from Canada to the Netherlands, your dog/cat/ferret must be identified with a microchip. The microchip needs to be compatible with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Annex A, 2.1, ISO standard #11785 (www.iso.org). Please note that the HomeAgain microchip from AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AVID-Eurochip meet the requirements of Annex A, 2.1, ISO standard #11785. If the microchip/transponder does not meet the requirements Annex A, 2.1, ISO standard #11785, you will be required to bring your own reader of the microchip/transponder so that the information can be read. Your dog/cat/ferret can also be identified with a readable tattoo but please note that you will need to provide an official document to show proof that the tattoo was applied before July 3, 2011.

2. Rabies vaccination
A dog/cat/ferret traveling without its caretaker/owner from Canada to the Netherlands must be vaccinated against rabies. Microchip implantation must always occur prior to rabies vaccination! Vaccination against rabies before microchip implantation will not be valid, even if the pet is up-to-date with its previous rabies vaccines. If your pet is vaccinated before microchip implantation, your pet must be revaccinated.

A. Please make sure the rabies vaccination of your pet is valid at the time of travel. A rabies vaccination is valid until the expiration date of the vaccination. If necessary, please get your pet revaccinated.

B. Please note that the rabies vaccination should be given to your dog/cat/ferret at least 21 days before the pet’s travel date from Canada to the Netherlands.

C. A dog/cat/ferret younger than three months can not be shipped without their owner/caretaker from Canada to the Netherlands because a rabies vaccination can only be given to pets older than three months.

D. Please note that a rabies blood test is not required because both the Canada are low risk regions for rabies as described in Annex II EC regulation 998/2003.

E. For travel from Canada to the Netherlands with your dog/cat/ferret, a tick treatment or an echinococcus treatment is not required.

3. Veterinarian Health Certificate
If your dog/cat/ferret is traveling without its caretaker/owner from Canada to the Netherlands, the dog/cat/ferret must be clinically examined by a veterinarian within 24 hours before the pet’s departure date to the Netherlands. Download Veterinarian Healh Certificate for Pet Travel from Canada to NL.

Examination of your dog/cat/ferret can be done by an official veterinarian (government) and endorsement from the Canada Department is not necessary.

Examination of your dog/cat/ferret can also be done by an accredited veterinarian (practitioner) but endorsement from the Canada Department is necessary.

For more information about endorsement please click on the following link:  Endorsement Veterinarian Health Certificat by Canadian Department of Agriculture.

The veterinarian must state a signature, the date and time of the examination on the veterinarian certificate. Please look on the website of the Canada Department of Agriculture for more details.

Contact details for pet travel from Canada to the Netherlands

Interested in pet travel requirements for other animals such as birds, hamsters, snakes, etc. traveling from Canada to the Netherlands? Please email us at: WAS-LNV@MINBUZA.NL