AC Animals Restrictions

Air Canada Cargo adheres to strict regulations for the transport of all live animals. We regularly review our procedures and guidelines to ensure that animals travelling with Air Canada Cargo are safe and comfortable. If you have questions about any of our AC Animals travel restrictions, please contact us.

Temperature Restrictions

Most Pets Cannot Travel During Periods of Extreme Heat

For their safety and comfort Air Canada Cargo does not accept warm-blooded animals for transport when the outside ground temperature is higher than 29.5°C (85°F). If the temperature is 29.5°C or higher at the departure city, the destination, or any point in between on a route with connections, animals will not be accepted and will therefore be rebooked for the next available flight(s).

Exception:

Day old chicks, provided they are tendered in containers that adhere to the current IATA Live Animal Container requirements.

Seasonal Restrictions

May 15 to September 30

• US extreme heat restrictions: Due to extreme heat and USDA regulations, the transport of warm-blooded live animals is prohibited to and from airports in the following cities: Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), and Phoenix (PHX).

July 1 to August 31

• Asia/Middle East extreme heat restrictions: Due to extreme heat, the transport of warm-blooded live animals is prohibited or strictly regulated to and from airports in countries within Asia and the Middle East.
• Europe extreme heat restrictions: Due to extreme heat, the transport of warm-blooded live animals is prohibited or strictly regulated to and from airports in Greece and Italy.

November 1 to March 31

• Extreme cold restriction for hairless breeds: For their comfort and security, Air Canada Cargo will not transport hairless breeds of cats and dogs during the winter months.
• Limitations on travel in unheated cargo holds: Warm-blooded animals are not accepted as cargo on some of our narrowbody fleet, as the cargo holds of these aircraft are not heated.
  

December 15 to January 12

• Holiday Restrictions, Canada and United States: Cats and dogs are not accepted for transport with Air Canada Cargo within Canada and to and from the United States, or on international flights with a connection in Canada during this time. This restriction applies to shipments from breeders, kennels and freight forwarders, and to pets travelling as checked baggage. Cats and dogs are allowed on all other direct flights (destined elsewhere than to Canada and the United States). This restriction does not apply to other animals.

December 20 to February 15

• Australia extreme heat restrictions: Due to extreme heat, the transport of warm-blooded live animals is prohibited to Melbourne, Australia (MEL).

Illegal Wildlife Trade

Air Canada recognises the environmental risks and consequences of Illegal Wildlife Trade and has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach for illegal wildlife trafficking in its cargo operations. As an increasingly global airline, Air Canada recognizes that it has an on-going responsibility to ensure that appropriate measures are implemented to mitigate the risk that wildlife is trafficked via its cargo operations, including through its service providers. Air Canada is proud to be a signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration.

Restricted Breeds

The following breeds are restricted by Air Canada and must be tendered through a listed company approved by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA):

Affenpinscher	Chow Chow	Shar-Pei
Boston Terrier	English Toy Spaniel	Teddy Bear Dog
Boxer	Japanese Chin	Tibetan Spaniel
Brussels Griffon	Lhasa Apso
Chihuahua – Apple-Headed	Shih Tzu

Wolf dog, pug, bulldog and Pekingese are not permitted to travel on Air Canada aircraft.

Strong Dog Breeds

The following dog breeds (including partially mixed breeds) are considered strong and must be placed in reinforced containers that fall under requirement 82 of the IATA Live Animal Regulations

• Caucasian Ovcharka (Caucasian Shepherd Dog)
• Karabash (Kangal Dog, Anatolian Shepherd Dog)
• Pit-bull - all breeds
  Including: American Pit-bull, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), British Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Mastiff - all breeds
  Including: American, Argentine (Dogo Argentino), Bandog (Bandogge), Brazilian (Fila Brasileiro), English, French (Dogue de Bordeaux), Italian (Cane Corso), Neapolitan, Presa Canario
• Rottweiller

To find out more about the specifications for these containers, please contact an Air Canada Cargo Animals agent (number or email) or your local Air Canada Cargo station.

Restrictions for Puppies, Kittens and Breeding Females

• The minimum age for puppies and kittens is 10 weeks. Puppies and kittens between the ages of 8 to 10 weeks of age must be booked by an approved pet shipper as listed on the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) site. Those under 8 weeks of age will not be accepted for carriage.
• A valid health certificate from a veterinarian is required for all puppies and kittens travelling on Air Canada Cargo, including those travelling within Canada.
• Females with suckling young and weaned puppies younger than 8 weeks old will not be accepted for air transportation.
• Shipment of females in heat (estrus) is not recommended.

US-Bound Dogs Must Be Immunized Against Rabies

• The US Center for Disease Control requires that some dogs travelling to or being transported to the United States be fully immunized against rabies prior to entering the US.
• Dogs not requiring a valid rabies certificate:
  • 3 months minimum age for non-commercial shipments originating from a country the CDC has not identified as a high-risk rabies country.
• Dogs requiring a valid rabies certificate:
  • 4 months minimum age for non-commercial shipments originating from a country the CDC has identified as a high-risk rabies country.
  • 6 months minimum age for commercial shipments with all appropriate permits, health certificate, USDA Import Certificate and vaccinations (DHLPP).

Number of Animals Per Container

Species	Age	Number of animal permitted
Dogs and Cats	Up to 6 months old	Up to 2 pets per kennel provided each animal weighs less than 9 kg (20 lbs.).
	Over 6 months old	1 pet per kennel
All other animals	Varies	Varies by species. Contact us.

Aircraft Type and Weight Limits

Depending of the aircraft type, we cannot accommodate all kennel sizes an each aircraft has their own animal weight limits. Please contact us for more details on accommodating your animal.

Small Canadian Airports

Many smaller airports in Canada will only accept live animals tendered from the Transport Canada Secure Supply Chain. Refer to our Contact Us section to find out if your regional airport is included.

Restrictions for Commercial Dogs from High-Risk Rabies Countries

Commercial dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies will not be permitted to enter Canada and import permits will no longer be issued. Commercial dogs include dogs intended for purposes such as being given/transferred to another person, resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show or exhibition and research. Click here to view a complete list of countries classified as high-risk.

Toronto Kenneling Services

Our facility at Toronto Pearson is equipped with an on-site, bonded kenneling facility. The Air Canada Cargo Pet Stop is for animals travelling with Air Canada Cargo requiring a comfort stop or overnight stay.

The Pet Stop consists of eight roomy enclosures for dogs and a separate room for cats, and all the necessary amenities for pet care. The newly renovated facility is bright, well-ventilated and temperature controlled.

Pets staying at the Pet Stop enjoy:

• Proximity to the runway, which reduces unnecessary transport
• Care by dedicated Air Canada Cargo employees that are fully trained in animal care and first aid
• Regular walks in a fenced-in grassy area
• Quality food
• Access to veterinary services when necessary

Care for all animals staying at the Pet Stop is fully documented and logged.

If a comfort stop or overnight stay is required for your animal, the Air Canada Animals reservation agent will let you know upon booking. For questions, please contact us.

AC Animals Rates, Charges & Fees

Meet our Veterinary Consultant, Dr. David Landers!

At Air Canada Cargo, transporting living animals is done with the utmost care and consideration. The variety of living creatures that fly with us is vast, from cats and dogs to rabbits, crocodiles, donkeys, cows, pigs, snow leopards, parrots, crickets and exotic fish, all of them requiring specific attention and conditions during transit and travel.

Keeping all these animals safe and comfortable requires careful planning, extensive training, as well as guidelines and policies on issues such as minimum age requirements, health certification and most pets cannot travel during periods of extreme heat temperature restrictions. Our solutions, operations and procedures teams work together to regularly review and adjust our processes.

Dr. David Landers is on the AC Animals team. Dr. Landers is an experienced veterinarian and an expert in international pet shipping, export and import documentation as well as travel-related pet health. Dr. Landers holds a certification in Live Animal Transportation from IATA and is the Treasurer for the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) and has served on the board since 2013.

Air Canada Cargo works in close relationship with Dr. Landers to support and validate our animal travel policies and procedures.

Dr. Landers is also available to Air Canada Cargo employees for ad hoc consultation on specific cases and will provide veterinary opinion and services when required.

Dr. Landers provides consistent, expert guidance and is a vital part of the AC Animals team, working to ensure all animals travel safely and that our services meet the evolving needs of our customers.

Illegal Wildlife Trade

Air Canada recognises the environmental risks and consequences of Illegal Wildlife Trade and has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach for illegal wildlife trafficking in its cargo operations. As an increasingly global airline, Air Canada recognizes that it has an on-going responsibility to ensure that appropriate measures are implemented to mitigate the risk that wildlife is trafficked via its cargo operations, including through its service providers. Air Canada is proud to be a signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration.

Horse Shipping Solution

 

Transport your horses safely and securely with Air Canada Cargo. We offer the highest service level for horse transportation, compliant with IATA Live Animal Regulations.

Trust Your Horses with Air Canada Cargo

• Your horses travel comfortably, every step of their journey. Our Toronto facility is equipped with a newly renovated barn facility, and horses are transported in state-of-the-art stalls, with versatile entrances and exits, comfortable bases, adjustable ventilation, grooming access, and working space.
• We offer easy handoff – our staff manages all movement of the horses.
• Your horses’ safety and well-being are our priority. You can count on our trained staff throughout the journey.
• We have tailored our processes and training to offer your groomers the best experience and the required safe operation on the ground and in flight.
• Air Canada has long-standing experience with shipping animals and is the first airline to receive IATA’s CEIV Live Animal certification and re-certification.  
• Get your horses where they need to go, quickly and safely. Our freighter network offers superior connectivity between North America, Europe, and LATAM, through our main hub in Toronto.

For more information on transporting horses, speak with your local Air Canada Cargo representative. 

The stalls Air Canada Cargo will utilize for this service are provided by Unilode, Air Canada’s long-standing ULD management provider, and were manufactured by VRR.

Kennel Requirements

For the comfort and safety of the animals, all cats and dogs must be transported in kennels that comply with regulations set forth by the International Aviation Transportation Association (IATA) when travelling as air cargo. Animals other than dogs and cats can be transported in kennels described below, as long as the kennel meets the container requirements of the IATA Live Animals Regulations. You can contact our AC Animals representative to get more information.

As the kennel becomes the animal's home away from home, it's a good idea to purchase the kennel well in advance of travel so the animal can become accustomed to it before travelling.

Kennel Requirements PDF

For a list of kennel requirements you can take with you, download this PDF.

Construction

Most pets can travel in the type of container included in IATA’s Container Requirement.

Strong Dog Breeds

The following dog breeds are considered strong and must be placed in reinforced containers that fall under requirement 82 of the IATA Live Animal Regulations

• Caucasian Ovcharka (Caucasian Shepherd Dog)
• Karabash (Kangal Dog, Anatolin Shepherd Dog)
• Pit-bull - all breeds
  Including: American Pit-bull, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), British Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Mastiff - all breeds
  Including: American, Argentine (Dogo Argentino), Bandog (Bandogge), Brazilian (Fila Brasileiro), English, French (Dogue de Bordeaux), Italian (Cane Corso), Neapolitan, Presa Canario
• Rottweiller

To find out more about the specifications for these containers, please contact an Air Canada Cargo Animals agent (number or email) or your local Air Canada Cargo station.

Kennel Size

Cats and dogs must be carried in appropriately sized kennels designed so that they cannot fit their paws through any of the openings on the kennel. The kennel must be big enough to allow the animal to stand, turn around and lie down in a natural position.

* This kennel requirement is acceptable for most breeds of domestic cats and dogs.
Some rigid plastic containers may not be suitable for large dogs or dogs that are strong or aggressive. See an agent for more details.

The measurements below are based on the animal standing in a natural position

A = length of the animal from tip of the nose to the root of the tail.
B = height from the elbow joint to the ground.
C = width at the widest point.
D = height of the animal, when standing, from tip of the ears or top of the head (whichever is higher) to the floor – ears must not touch the top of the kennel when the animal is standing naturally.

The length of the kennel must be equal to A + 1/2 B.
The width of the kennel must be equal to C x 2.
The height of the kennel (top flat or arched) must be equal to D.

Inside the kennel

• Food and water dishes must be attached inside the kennel with outside access for filling.
• Kennels will not be accepted for carriage if there are water bottles or receptacles attached to the outside of the cage door.
• Provide a light blanket, cushion or newspaper.
• Wood chips or shavings are not accepted.

Outside the kennel

• Clearly indicate your pet's name on the outside of the kennel.
• Attach a label with feeding and watering instructions, and indicate the date and time the animal was last fed and given water.
• A Live Animal and This Way Up label/tag is mandatory. If the kennel did not come with these labels, you can purchase them at most office supply stores or they can be provided for you when you tender the animal. Place the This Way Up label/tag on all four sides of the kennel.

Additional security

Secure the top and bottom portions of the kennel together with the supplied hardware. Clips alone will not be accepted.