ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Shelley

We are getting ready to leave on our summer trip in 4 weeks and part of the trip includes the Canadian Rocky's. Both my girlfriend and I are trying to learn what the dogs, cat and Ginea Pig (dogs are mine) need to cross the border into Western Canada. Everyone agrees A. Rabies shot within 36 months, no problem. B. Proof of date of last Rabies Shot, no problem.. C. Some say Health Certificate within the last 30 days. I have to see a Vet on the road since I will enter Canada 1 1/2 months after I leave home. Has anyone had any experience with Western Canada, I've been told it's different than Eastern Canada because they have Rabies problems. Thanks for your help.

DISCUSSION:

I have been showing and breeding maltese here in Canada for many years. I often cross the borders with maltese and am very familiar with the requirements. By law, you are required to have a current (within the last 12 months) rabies certificate and a health certificate within the last seven days. In reality, the border officials rarely ,if ever, ask to see these certificates but it is best to have them just in case. In the past ten years I have crossed the border dozens of times and have only been asked once to produce the certificates. I assume you are driving across. If, however, you are shipping the dog by air into the country, you will require the rabies and health certificate. When the dog arrives by air, they insist on having all the paper work. I hope this was helpful, have a great trip!
-Andrea

Andrea: Thanks for your help. What you are saying pretty much matches with what our friends are saying. The Vet said the Health Certificate had to be less than 30 days old. Since we will not carrying our Vet's Certificate we probably will stop in a small border town and get a certificate just before we enter. Yes we are driving in our Motor Home and we have heard sometimes the Custom Agents give us MH people a harder time. FL requires Rabies annually, however, one friend said his experience with his cat was Canada wanted no more than 6 months. Shayna would get in, not out and KoKo had her shot in November. That would not work for her at all. Thanks again, I'll pass this on to my girl friend, I'm sure it's the same for her cat. The Ginie Pig, your guess is as good as mine.
-Shelley