Your Dog, Your Rights, and Other People's Rules
Border forms, banned breeds and no-pets clauses: the rules are written down, but they change and depend on where you are. A guide to the primary sources.
Written by thecanineledger
This page carries no advertising, and nothing on it is for sale.
1. Start where you are
| If you are… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Driving or flying from Canada into the US | §2: Into the US |
| Bringing a dog to England, Wales or Scotland | §3: Into Great Britain |
| Renting, or about to sign a lease | §4: Renting |
| Worried your dog’s breed or type is banned | §5: Breed bans |
| Looking for something not listed here | §6: Not covered yet |
“The information on this page is subject to change. Please revisit this page frequently for updated guidance as more information becomes available.” That warning sits on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s page about taking dogs into the US (CFIA, Dogs travelling to the United States). It applies to almost everything in this section.
While the rules on travelling and living with a dog are all written down somewhere, they change, they depend on where you are, and secondhand summaries go stale. This section goes to the government pages and statutes themselves, gives the date we read each one, and says where we haven’t looked. None of it is legal advice.
2. Into the US
For a dog that has only been in Canada, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires one free online form, a microchip, a healthy dog, and an age of at least 6 months. Dogs that have recently been in a high-risk country face stricter rules, and the US and Canadian government pages don’t agree on the details.
→ Taking Your Dog From Canada Into the US
3. Into Great Britain
The order is the trap. GOV.UK requires a microchip before or with the rabies vaccine, then at least 21 full days’ wait, and a vet’s tapeworm treatment between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival (GOV.UK, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain). Get it wrong and your dog can be quarantined for up to 4 months.
→ Bringing a Dog Into Great Britain
4. Renting
It depends entirely on where you live. In British Columbia, a landlord can ban pets and charge a pet deposit of up to half a month’s rent. In Ontario, a no-pets clause in a tenancy agreement is void. In England, from 1 May 2026, tenants can ask to keep a pet and the landlord must consider it.
→ Renting With a Dog: What Landlords Can and Can’t Do
5. Breed bans
Great Britain bans five dog types, judged by appearance, and Ontario bans pit bulls. The evidence that breed bans reduce bites is mixed, and a 2022 systematic review favoured rules that apply to all dogs.
→ Breed Bans: What the Laws Say, and Whether They Reduce Bites
6. Not covered yet
We haven’t published these yet, and we won’t summarise rules we haven’t read:
- Bringing a dog into Canada, and taking one into the EU
- Flying with a dog, and car restraints
- Who is liable when a dog bites
- Service dogs, emotional support animals and therapy dogs
Questions about dogs and human health, such as infections from dog licks or allergies, are outside what this site covers. Ask a doctor.
Our note: This section covers only BC, Ontario, England and the rest of Great Britain, and US entry from Canada.
7. How this section works
Every page is tied to a place. Each claim says which country, province or nation it applies to. Where we haven’t read the rules for somewhere, we say so rather than guess.
Law pages are checked by a lawyer before they publish.
We make no money from this section. We link to no pet relocation brokers, travel products or law firms.
Our note: Nothing in this section is legal advice.
8. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “You need a health certificate to cross into the US” | Not for a dog only in Canada, per the CDC. |
| “British quarantine is six months” | Up to 4 months, and only if the rules aren’t followed, per GOV.UK. |
| “Landlords can’t ban dogs” | Depends where you live. True for Ontario tenancy agreements, not BC. |
| “Breed bans are proven to work” | Not proven. The evidence is mixed. |
Sources
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Dogs travelling to the United States (Canadian government guidance; last modified 1 August 2024; read 4 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain (UK government guidance; last public update 24 October 2024; read 4 November 2026)
- The remaining figures are sourced in full on each article’s page.
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.