Position Statements

Importation of Dogs into Canada

October 21, 2022

Background

1. Under federal regulations (1), import requirements for dogs entering Canada vary depending on:
   • the purpose for entry (i.e., whether the dog is a personal pet, including assistance dogs; or a commercial import, including dogs for sale, adoption, breeding, exhibition, research, etc.)
   • the age of the dog
   • the country of origin
2. Animal welfare organizations such as shelters and rescues, frequently import animals into Canada from various parts of the world. Such organizations are principally motivated by a desire to improve the lives of animals living under difficult circumstances. For example, dogs may be imported following natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes), from areas with high numbers of stray or unwanted animals; or from situations where they are being kept under inhumane conditions. Dogs may also be imported for sale (and profit) by individuals or companies.
3. Rescue dogs imported for adoption are considered commercial imports. In some instances, such animals have been misrepresented as personal pets, in order to circumvent the stricter rules pertaining to commercial imports (see bullet 6 below). There is little information available regarding how frequently this occurs.
4. There is currently very limited information on the number and frequency of dogs imported into Canada, but a recent study estimated an average of 9,000 to 17,500 dogs per year were imported from 2013-2019, with an increase of over 400% during this period (2).
5.  Any importation of dogs into Canada carries inherent risks of translocation of pathogens and parasites, some of which may not be commonly found in Canada, and which can have significant implications for animal (domestic and wild), human, and ecosystem health. Examples include zoonotic pathogens such as rabies virus, Leishmania spp., and Brucella Canis as well as pathogens that primarily affect canines, including canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, heartworm, and certain species of ticks (3,4,5,6). In addition, dogs are known to be reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant organisms (7)
6. Animal welfare issues have been identified during transportation of dogs to Canada, by both land and air (8). For a review of factors that should be considered during transport of pets, please refer to the CVMA Position Statement on Transportation of Dogs and Cats (9).
7. Behavioural issues in dogs (e.g., animals demonstrating aggression, fear, anxiety, excessive vocalization, lack of house-training, etc.) resulting from inadequate socialization, training, and other causes, can result in dogs inflicting physical injury to people and other animals, financial and emotional stress for new owners, and ultimately relinquishment of adopted animals. These issues may be more common, or less readily recognized, in imported dogs given that many may have uncertain histories and/or may have been exposed to traumatic experiences before or during transport.
8. It should be noted that interregional movement of dogs within Canada is closely linked to, and often follows, importation. There is currently no system in Canada for tracking the origin of dogs once they have entered the country. This can present additional risk to animal health, safety, and welfare; human health and safety; and ecosystem and wildlife health at both the individual and population-level beyond that recognized at the point of entry.
9. There are currently very limited regulatory requirements for importation of dogs into Canada. For example,
   • With the exception of commercial dogs less than 8 months of age imported for resale or adoption, animal health-related requirements for dogs are limited to a veterinary certificate of health from the country of origin and/or a rabies vaccination certificate (10). Beyond this, no specific disease risks associated with the country of origin are considered when determining importation eligibility for dogs under federal import regulations (11).
   • Expanded rules for importation of commercial dogs into Canada less than 8 months of age imported for resale or adoption were implemented in 2021 in an effort to address a number of concerns, including many of those expressed above (12).
   • A measure prohibiting the entry into Canada of commercial dogs from countries at high risk of canine rabies was instituted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in September 2022 (13).
10.  Imported dogs infected with pathogens or parasites may not demonstrate clinical illness immediately upon arrival. Certificates of health issued by foreign veterinary authorities, which may sometimes be difficult to authenticate, are not required to include procedures and tests done to identify specific diseases of concern in imported dogs.
11. The CVMA recommends that examination and/or quarantine and testing (as necessary based on risk assessment) testing of all imported dogs for diseases of concern be undertaken by a licensed Canadian veterinarian upon arrival in Canada to more accurately determine the health status of imported animals, even in cases where certificates of health and other import documents indicate that dogs have been examined in their country of origin.
12. Canadian veterinarians have expressed significant concerns about animal health and welfare associated with canine importation. A recent survey of Canadian veterinarians (14) confirmed that imported dogs are regularly presented to clinics and that a variety of pathogens and parasites of both human and animal health concern are encountered, as are serious behavioral issues.
13. Risk management strategies regarding imported dogs should consider sociocultural factors in the community of origin as well as in Canada in order to ensure that actions recommended or undertaken will be as effective as possible in mitigating risk. Such factors include the characteristics of dog ownership (e.g., community versus individual ownership), status and housing of dogs in the community, and reasons for importation (e.g. rescue, resale).
14. The CVMA supports the development and implementation of federal and provincial/territorial rules, regulations, and policies, in alignment with World Trade Organization guidelines, to provide the legal authority to restrict dog importation and/or interregional movement within Canada based on risks to animal health, animal welfare and public health (15). The CVMA recommends that requirements include risk-based health screening, preventive treatments, and health certification.
15.  Education is a key element in the effective management of the risks associated with canine importation, including the development and dissemination of best practice guidelines on matters such as diseases of concern, high-risk areas, vaccination protocols, parasiticide treatments, testing regimens, and behavioural screening. Key audiences for this information include domestic importers, foreign exporters, prospective dog owners, veterinarians, shelters, rescue organizations, and others.

References

1. Canadian Food Inspection Agency Bringing animals to Canada: Importing and Traveling with Pets. Bringing animals to Canada: Importing and travelling with pets - Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
2. Blackmore, Jillian. Public Health Agency of Canada. 2022. Personal communication.
3. Maureen E.C. Anderson, Impact of Dog Transport on High-Risk Infectious Diseases. Vet Clin Small Anim 49 (2019) 615–627 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2019.02.004.
4. Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Dog Importation 2022. Dog Importation | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (canadianveterinarians.net)
5. Government of Ontario. Rabies cases in Ontario 2021 https://www.ontario.ca/page/rabies-cases#notes1
6. Wagner, V. Leishmania infantum infection in a dog imported from Morocco Can Vet J. 2020 Sep; 61(9): 963–965. Leishmania infantum infection in a dog imported from Morocco - PubMed (nih.gov)
7.  L Marchetti, D Buldain, L Gortari Castillo, A Buchamer, M Chirino-Trejo, N Mestorino Pet and stray dogs as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli. Int J Microbiol, 2021 (2021), Article 6664557, Pet and Stray Dogs as Reservoirs of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli (hindawi.com) 
8. CFIA statement on an incident involving dogs imported from Ukraine 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2020/06/cfia-statement-on-dog-import-from-ukraine-incident.html
9. Position Statement. Transportation of Dogs and Cats 2017 Transportation of Dogs and Cats | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (canadianveterinarians.net) 
10. Canadian Food Inspection Agency Requirements for Importing or Travelling with Domestic Dogs. https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/pets/dogs/eng/1594047452277/1594047452779 
11. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2022. Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) - Canadian Food Inspection Agency (canada.ca)
12. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2021. Summary of changes to the import requirements for commercial dogs less than 8 months of age for breeding and resale (which includes adoption) end uses. https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/pets/dogs/commercial-imports-8-months/fact-sheet/eng/1620070961994/1620070962447#wb-cont. 
13. A new measure prohibiting the entry into Canada of commercial dogs from countries at high risk of rabies. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2022. https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/rabies/notice-to-industry/eng/1656424333818/1656424334393 
14. Belanger. Catherine. University of Guelph, 2022. Personal communication.
15.  WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. Available from:
    WTO | legal texts - A Summary of the Final Act of the Uruguay Round. Last accessed Feb 21, 2017