If you’re moving back to Canada and have pets moving back with you, then this is for you. Come on along … it’s easy!
Kahu
It’s common for those of us that are blessed with our furry friends to call ourselves our pet’s owner, yet in fact we’re not that at all. In Hawaiian, we are their Kahu.
Kahu means honored or beloved attendant. We are their guardian and protector.
We’ve been entrusted with their care as steward and nurse, and with the safekeeping of something very precious and utterly cherished. We are never our pet’s master, but rather we’re blessed to be their protector for as long as they’re with us.
What a Kahu protects is not their property; what they protect is a part of their soul. ❤
What Do My Pets Need to Move to Canada
Moving your pets to Canada with you is actually pretty easy, as long as you have the right paperwork.
All they need is an up-to-date rabies vaccine and the certificate to go with it from your vet.
We didn’t need one for Lucy (the cat), but we had our vet print rabies certificates for both Harley and Brody and just kept them handy (with the rest of our important documents) to show the Canada Border Services agents. (I’ll cover this in another post, but if your pet has had any medical issues of note, it’s a good idea to grab a copy of all their medical records and prescriptions while you’re asking your vet for their rabies certificate).
For the official scoop, check out the Government of Canada’s guidelines on bringing animals to Canada.
Microchips
I bring this up as it’s been a ‘thing’ moving across the border, and worth mentioning if your pets are microchipped.
Both Harley and Brody are microchipped and were registered through HomeAgain in the US. When I checked with them before we moved back to Canada, I was told that their chips won’t work, or be recognized on this side of the border. Hmmm. When I asked them what we should do, (both times I called) they said, “I don’t know, check with a vet in Canada”. Uh, okay.
So off we go to Canada, and the first time we had the dogs at a vet here in BC and asked about their existing microchips, they just said there’s nothing they can do with a chip from the US, and you can’t implant another. I asked if they could scan the dogs to see if they could at least find their chips and, the vet figured it was a waste of time and didn’t bother (needless to say we’ve moved on from that vet!).
Well, we’ve also moved cities since then, and we have a new vet. When I visited with Harley one day, I spoke with them about this whole microchip business. Don’t you know they grabbed their scanner and up popped Harley’s microchip right away. They gave me his microchip number (which I matched to his records), so I stopped by with Brody a few days later and they scanned him as well. Same thing – his microchip number popped right up and matched my records. Off to a good start.
Our new vet pointed me in the direction of the BC Pet Registry so I gave them a call. The lady I spoke with was super friendly and easily answered all my questions, and was kind enough to follow up with an email with additional information. I told her our story, and was excited to learn the boys microchips can be registered with them!
The BC Pet Registry charges a $45 one time registration fee per pet which is good for life. If you move, just update your address and contact information so they know where to find you, This is awesome news, so I went right ahead.
How to Register Your Pets Microchip
The process is super easy. Head on over to the BC Pet Registry website and click on the Register Now button on the top right corner of the home page.
Next you’ll need to create a new profile before you can add and register your pets.
On the next screen under Pet Owners, click the Get Started button to fill out the New User Registration form. Once you’ve finished and saved your profile you’ll be able to add your pet(s)!
Lastly, complete your pet’s registration by paying the onetime/lifetime $45/pet fee.
Once I was finished I received two emails (per pet). The first confirmed their lifetime registration with the BC Pet Registry and the second was the payment receipt. It was super easy, and not that these guys ever take off anywhere but, stuff happens. We can rest easy now knowing if they’re lost, they have a way better chance of being finding their way home, wherever we are. Thanks BC Pet Registry!
Bringing a Dog Into the U.S.
On August 1, 2024, the CDC introduced new rules regarding travelling into the United States with a dog (or two). Since we’ve already moved back to Canada and always travel with our fur family, we checked into this.
The new rules state that if you’re bringing a dog into the United States, you’ll need to complete a CDC Dog Import Form. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll need one for each dog (it’s not required for cats). It’s really easy if you’re just travelling from Canada, which is considered a low-risk country. There’s more to do if your dog has been in a high-risk country.
Once you’ve filled out the form online, you’ll receive a receipt from the CDC via email. You can print it or just have it handy on your phone when crossing the border into the US. We printed ours and weren’t asked for them (but you know we would have been asked if we hadn’t filled out the forms beforehand!).
The receipt is valid for six months and multiple entries, and can be completed up to the day of travel.
As I close out this post, late in the quiet and dark of the night, I am yet again reminded of how truly blessed I am to have been chosen as Kahu. There are two big, beautiful dogs sleeping peacefully at my feet, and my sweet Lucy is snoring away, curled up in her cardboard box on the table. ❤
