IMPORT PERMIT necessary for puppies under 8 months

IMPORT PERMIT necessary for puppies under 8 months…

“Commercial puppy” under eight months, must have an Import Permit to enter Canada.

The Canadian Customs consider a puppy as “Commercial” when the person receiving the puppy in Canada is a different person than the person shipping the dog. They consider this importation as a sale therefore as a commercial transaction.

Unless you can prove that the imported puppy is your personal pet, an Import Permit is compulsory.

To import a “commercial puppy” into Canada under the age of eight months, the importer must, without fail, obtain an Import Permit from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

This does not apply to kittens or young cats.

The only exception to this rule is where the importer can prove to the Canadian Customs that the puppy is already their dog, has not changed hand from the consignor to the consignee (meaning this is not a sale) and will not be used for breeding, showing… etc.

The mere declaration that the puppy is a ‘personal pet’ will not satisfy Customs. The Waybill and the Veterinary Papers will show the Sender to be different from the Importer, therefore it is a change of ownership and it will be deemed a commercial movement.

This permit is not expensive. Presently, in June 2016, it is only CA $35.00. But it must be obtained before the pet starts his travel to Canada. The original import permit (or a copy) must be presented to Canadian Customs with the Air Waybill (AWB). It must either arrive with the puppy, or if arriving as unaccompanied cargo, await arrival in the hands of the Manoir Kanisha employee or our Customs Broker.

The Canadian Customs will always assume the imported puppy is “commercial” unless the contrary can be proved. In particular, if the importer is found to be a dog breeder, even if the puppy was declared as personal import, the entry to Canada will be refused if there is no Import Permit.
If a “commercial” puppy of less than eight months arrives in Canada without an Import Permit, it will be refused entry by the Canadian Customs and returned to the country of origin on the next available flight. All the costs of the return trip will be charged to the importer who omitted to obtain the Import Permit. There is no appeal process, nor retrospective application whilst the puppy is on Canadian soil, even with payment of a fine.

At Manoir Kanisha, we regularly offer “Comfort Stop” to puppies who are refused entry to Canada and must be returned to their country of origin. As soon as we learn of a Customs refusals of puppies, we are asked to collect them from the Montreal International Airport cargo area and they remain with us with a “Temporary In-Bond Status”. We provide a calm, comfortable environment with fresh water and a good warm meal. Usually, they need a complete grooming because they have been living in their own stools and urine for many hours, some times for many days. We also clean their flight kennel before their return trip.

After the CFIA veterinarian has examined the puppies and have documented their ‘fitness-to-fly’, certificates, we deliver them to the appropriate airline cargo office as soon as a return flight is available.

An application form for a puppy import for is available here :

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-aboutcfia-sujetacia/STAGING/text-texte/c5083_re_1386182764614_eng.pdf

For more information regarding Import Permits, contact:
Centre of Administration
1050 Courtenay Park Drive E
Mississauga ON L5T 2R4
Fax 289 247 4068
Email : permission@inspection.gc.ca

Here are a few pictures of beautiful puppies that have recently arrived tired and exhausted at the Montreal International Airport without an import permit. Shipped by a dog breeder to a Canadian dog breeder, they were refused entry to our country by the Canadian Customs. After a nice “Comfort Stop” at Manoir Kanisha , they were returned in good condition, to their countries of origin.