Solutions

AC Live

At Air Canada Cargo, an animal's safety and comfort are our top priorities…

We ship a wide variety of animals, from cats and dogs to hatching eggs, insects and tropical fish.

AC Live guarantees:

Contact your local Air Canada Cargo office to learn more about how we can respond to your particular shipping needs.

Travel restrictions:

Aircraft types, weight, weather and regulatory restrictions may prevent Air Canada from transporting your animal to all the destinations we serve. Please view our travel restrictions page for details, or contact your local Air Canada Cargo office.

Cold and heat restrictions for the transport of live animals.

Shipping non-human primates.

Change to Korean Quarantine Regulations for Shipping Cats and Dogs

The Korean Quarantine Office announced that effective the December 1st, 2012, all cats and dogs will be required to have a microchip implanted in order to clear quarantine. A Quarantine Certificate will also be required.

Learn more

The certificate must include:

  • The serial number of the microchip
  • The results of a rabies neutralizing antibody test
  • Date of the test
  • The name and signature of the issuing veterinarian
  • The words “Healthy with No infectious virus”
  • The microchip must meet ISO standard 11784/11785.

Air Canada Cargo agents have been advised that they must ensure that the above requirements are met. It is important that shippers comply with these new regulations to avoid delays, additional expenses and stress to the animals.

Shipper/Consignee Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the shipper/consignee to make arrangements with a veterinarian to have the microchip implanted.

The expense of the microchip implant, transport of the animal(s) to the Quarantine Office, feeding and general care and any applicable quarantine stay are the ultimate responsibility of the shipper/consignee.

Noncompliance
In the case of a serial number discrepancy between the Quarantine Certificate and the implanted microchip, or the serial number cannot be identified, the animal(s) will be quarantined until these matters can be clarified.

If the animal(s) are exported without the microchip implant and/or the Quarantine Certificate, the Korean Quarantine Office will hold the animal(s) in quarantine until such time that a microchip is implanted into the animal(s), or that the Quarantine Certificate can be produced.

Thank you for your cooperation

Travel within Canada

Bookings should be made at least 10 hours in advance of travel, in order to give adequate time for all interested parties to be informed, thus ensuring the utmost safety of your animal throughout its entire journey.

Our system allows reservations up to 30 days prior to departure. To book travel, contact AC Cargo:

1 (866) 615-1155
Hours of operation - 6:00 am to 9:45 pm (EST) - 7 days a week
You can also view our list of Air Canada Cargo offices across Canada.

Travel between Canada and the U.S.

Bookings should be made at least 24 hours in advance of travel, in order to give adequate time for all interested parties to be informed, thus ensuring the utmost safety of your animal throughout its entire journey.

Our system allows reservations up to 30 days prior to departure. To book travel, please contact AC Cargo:

If your shipment is originating in the U.S., please click here.

All other origins or destinations

Bookings must be made at least 5 days in advance of travel, in order to give adequate time for all interested parties to be informed, thus ensuring the utmost safety of your animal throughout its entire journey.

Our system allows reservations up to 30 days prior to departure. To book travel, please contact your local Air Canada Cargo office.

For specific import rules and regulations, as well as information on vaccination and documentation requirements when bringing animals into a particular country, always contact the embassy or consulate of your destination country.

View a partial list of countries with restrictions on the entry of animals at aircanada.com.

Payment

Prices

All charges for the shipment of live animals are based on:

  • the origin and destination of the shipment,
  • The type of animal being shipped,
  • the actual or dimensional* combined weight of the animal and kennel/container, whichever is greater.

* For instructions on how to calculate dimensional weight, please consult our How To Calculate Dimensional Weight document (pdf file, 265 KB).

For complete details, please contact your local Air Canada Cargo office.
Payment All live animal shipments must be sent prepaid only, with the exception of shipments of insects (e.g. live bees) and aquatic life forms (e.g. live tropical fish, coral), which can be sent collect.
Other charges

Overnight kennel service fees may be required during transport in case of severe weather or other conditions beyond Air Canada Cargo's control (including, but not limited to acts of god, force majeure, labor disturbances, civil commotions, wars or hostilities).

If overnight kennel services are required, no compensation is provided by Air Canada Cargo. The shipper and consignee are advised of the overnight charges, and these are added to the air waybill by the station where the overnight kenneling occurs. The shipment is then rebooked on the first available flight, and the shipper and consignee are notified accordingly.

All overnight charges are collected from the consignee at destination.

Other charges may also apply if a shipment is not retrieved within a reasonable time frame. Please view tender and retrieval information or contact your local Air Canada Cargo office for details.

FAQs

We've answered some of the questions you may have about shipping animals with us.

Can I ship my pet or other animal to any Air Canada destination?

Not all cities that are served by Air Canada have cargo facilities. Please see our list of Air Canada Cargo offices worldwide.

Please also note that not all aircraft types can accommodate live animals at all times of year. Our cargo agents will be happy to check all alternatives available to you. Please view our travel restrictions page for more information.

How much in advance do I need to arrive at the cargo building before departure?

If you are shipping your cat or dog to a destination within Canada or between Canada and the U.S., you'll need to be at the cargo building two (2) hours before flight departure.

For all other types of shipments, you'll need to arrive four (4) hours before the flight.

See our tender and retrieval times page for more details, or contact your local Air Canada Cargo office.

Is the cargo hold safe? Will my animal be travelling alone?

The cargo holds on all of our aircraft are pressurized. Your animal's kennel will be secured so as not to move about, and placed so as to provide it with maximum ventilation.

Most of our aircraft also have temperature-controlled cargo compartments. If your pet is expected to travel on a route where temperature control is needed but not available, we will recommend a different route or an alternate travel date in order that we may better accommodate your needs. Please view our travel restrictions page for details.

There could be other animals on the same flight as the one your pet or other animal is travelling on. However, the number of pets we can carry on a single flight depends on the length of the flight and the type of aircraft used.

Do I have to accompany the animal to its destination?

No, you do not have to be travelling to send your pet to a destination.

What happens if there's a delay or my pet or other animal misses a connecting flight?

In the event that severe weather causes a flight to be cancelled or delayed, Air Canada Cargo will contact the shipper immediately. This is one of the reasons why it's important to provide accurate contact information when making your booking.

What are my responsibilities as a shipper?

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations (LAR) state that the shipper must:

  • Finalize the route and any special care required by the shipment upon making the booking and prior to acceptance.
  • Inform the carrier if a female animal is in oestrus (heat).
  • Inform the carrier of the gender of all mammals being shipped.
  • Obtain all required documents and information needed for the completion of the Shipper's Certification for Live Animals.
  • Comply with all national, carrier and IATA regulations, as applicable.
  • Ensure that containers or kennels provided conform to IATA's Live Animals Regulations.
  • Provide suitable bedding and food for the species being shipped that does not contravene any regulations.
  • Provide the scientific and common name of the animal(s) and quantity of each animal contained in the container, as shown on the Shipper's Certification For Live Animals.
  • Affix special feeding and watering instructions to the container and attach a copy to the documents that accompany the shipment.
  • Record on the container instructions the date and time that food and water were last given to the animal, prior to acceptance.
  • Advise the carrier if an animal is pregnant or has given birth in the last 48 hours.
  • Provide a record of any medication given (i.e. type of drug, dosage, time given and route). This information must accompany other documents and a copy must be affixed to the container.
  • Provide a 24-hour phone number that the carrier can call to obtain instructions from the shipper in the event of an unexpected change of plan.
  • Advise the receiving party of flight details in order to arrange for immediate retrieval upon arrival at destination.
What are Air Canada Cargo's responsibilities as a carrier of live animals?

As per IATA's Live Animal Regulations (LAR), we are responsible for verifying the presence of all mandatory documents, as applicable:

  • Air Waybill
  • Shipper's Certification for Live Animals
  • Import/export permit
  • Health certificate
  • CITES permit, if applicable (IATA LAR)