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Flying with a dog or cat from Toronto to Delhi

India allows pet dogs and cats from Canada, but you need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from India's animal quarantine service before you fly, an official health certificate and up-to-date vaccines. Plan for Delhi's heat and choose a nonstop flight if you can.

Plan, then confirm. This guide sums up the official rules as we found them. Rules change, and your airline has its own. Check every step with the sources below and your airline before you book.

Your trip, step by step

  1. Before you go

    • Microchip your pet, then make sure the rabies vaccine was given at least 30 days before travel and is less than a year old.
    • Your pet also needs the other vaccinations India lists, and the health certificate must state it is free of the diseases India names (for dogs these include distemper and leptospirosis).
    • Apply for the NOC from India's Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS) at Delhi; India's missions say to get it 15 days before you arrive. Many travellers use a pet relocation agent for this.
    • Get an original veterinary health certificate from a CFIA-accredited vet, endorsed by the CFIA, close to your flight date.
    • India allows up to two pets per passenger; more needs an import permit.

  2. At Toronto Pearson

    • Pearson has pet relief areas after security in both terminals, including Terminal 1 domestic (Level 2), Terminal 1 transborder by gate F83, and Terminal 3 by gate B26 and by gate A9. There are outdoor areas before security too, such as outside Terminal 1 departures at Aisle 15.
    • Pets must stay in their carrier inside the terminal (service animals excepted). At security, tell the screening officer you have a pet. You'll carry your pet through the walk-through scanner while the empty carrier goes through the X-ray.
    • Full Toronto Pearson airport guide

  3. The flight

    • Air Canada and Air India both fly nonstop between Toronto and Delhi (check current schedules). A nonstop avoids transit rules at a connecting hub, which can be strict even if you never leave the airport.
    • Small pets can travel in the cabin on some airlines, but many long-haul flights to India carry pets only in the hold or as cargo. Ask your airline before you book: size and weight limits, crate rules and seasonal heat limits.
    • Snub-nosed breeds (pugs, bulldogs, Persian cats) are often refused in the hold. Check before you buy a ticket.

  4. Arriving in Delhi

    • AQCS officers at Delhi airport check your NOC, health certificate and vaccination records. Pets from countries with low rabies risk that meet the rules are generally not quarantined.
    • If your pet flew as cargo, collection is at the cargo terminal, not the arrivals hall; allow a few extra hours.

  5. With your pet in Delhi

    • Delhi is very hot from April to June: walk early in the morning or after dark, and watch for hot pavement.
    • Book pet-friendly accommodation ahead; many hotels don't take pets.
    • Keep your dog on a leash. Street dogs are common, and a calm route away from busy markets is easier for a new arrival.

  6. Coming home

    • Coming home matters here. Canada has extra rules for dogs from countries where dog rabies is common. Personal pets travelling with their owner are treated differently from dogs being sold or rehomed, but check the CFIA's online pet import tool before you leave Canada, and keep the rabies vaccination certificate valid for the whole trip.

Questions

Can I fly with my dog from Toronto to Delhi?

Yes, with an NOC from India's animal quarantine service, a CFIA-endorsed health certificate, a microchip and valid vaccines. Check your airline's pet rules before you book.

Does India quarantine pets from Canada?

Pets from low rabies-risk countries that meet the rules are generally not quarantined, according to India's missions.

How many pets can I bring to India?

Up to two dogs or cats per passenger; more needs an import permit.

Sources