Flying with a dog in cabin: rules in Canada

Flying with a dog in cabin: the airline rules compared

There's no single Canadian rule for pets in the cabin. Each airline's tariff and pet policy decides, and this is what Air Canada and WestJet publish.

Your dog has to fit in a soft-sided carrier that stays closed under the seat in front of you for the whole flight, so measure the carrier against your airline's limit for your aircraft.

How to book your dog's spot

Book early and register your dog straight away, because each flight only has a few cabin pet spots.

On Air Canada, book your own seat first, then call reservations to register your pet. Air Canada says that if you register within 24 hours of booking, you can get a refund at no charge if your pet can't be accommodated, and unregistered pets aren't accepted at the airport. On WestJet, you request pet space online, by phone or through an agent, at least 48 hours before departure.

Then check a few details people miss. Air Canada's carrier limits depend on the aircraft, and it doesn't allow carriers on Air Canada Jetz flights. Both airlines say pets aren't accepted on codeshare or partner operated flights, so look at who actually operates each leg of your trip.

Seats matter, too. Air Canada doesn't allow pets in exit or bulkhead rows or in Premium Economy. WestJet may ask you to sit by a window or move toward the back, to keep a buffer for passengers with allergies.

Documents and destination rules

The airline only decides whether your dog gets on the plane. The country you land in decides whether your dog gets in. Air Canada warns that a local vet certificate may not satisfy government inspections, and points owners to the destination's embassy or consulate and to CDC requirements for dogs entering the United States.

• Within Canada, carry your dog's rabies certificate and vaccine records. Our guide to the pet vaccine certificate explains what a valid one shows.
• Heading to the United States? Read travelling with your pet from Canada to the US well before the trip.
• Coming home, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's pet import tool sets out what your dog needs to come back into Canada.
• WestJet doesn't accept pets to or from Barbados, Hawaii, Dublin, Jamaica or the UK.

The free PetGrid travel helper lists the steps and timing for your destination, each one linked to the official page. It also checks whether your dog's newest rabies vaccine on file is in time for the trip and whether a microchip is recorded, so you know what to ask your vet for while there's still time.

Getting your dog ready for the flight

A dog who's relaxed in a carrier at home copes much better at the airport, so start practising weeks ahead.

Leave the carrier open in the living room with a blanket that smells like home, and reward your dog every time they wander in. Our guide to crate training a puppy uses the same slow, step-by-step approach. Then try short car rides in the carrier, and build up to longer ones.

On the day, fit in a walk and a toilet break as close to check-in as you can. Pack a leash, waste bags, a small absorbent pad and a copy of your dog's papers in your personal item. And before any of it, ask your vet whether your dog is fit to fly and about anything that worries you, like anxiety or motion sickness. Never give a sedative without your vet's advice.

Once you're on board, the carrier stays closed and under the seat. WestJet says taking a pet out of its kennel during the flight may lead to a future travel ban, and that aggressive, unruly or distressed pets may be refused.

If your dog is too big for the cabin

Bigger dogs fly in the hold or as cargo, with different rules and crate requirements. Planning a trip with a pug, a bulldog or another short-nosed breed? Air Canada doesn't accept brachycephalic dog breeds in the baggage compartment, so check that first. Ask the airline about its checked pet options, and ask your vet whether your dog is suited to travelling that way.

Perguntas frequentes

Leia as perguntas e respostas para tutores

Em resumo

Flying with a dog in cabin really comes down to four things: a carrier that fits your airline's limit, an early booking with the pet registered, the right papers for where you're going, and a dog who's already comfortable in that carrier. Check the airline's page again a few days before you go, because these rules do change.

Keep your dog's rabies certificate, vaccine records and microchip number in the free PetGrid app, so they're on your phone at check-in and at the border.