How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Pet from Canada to Germany?
No import permit, no government entry fee, and no quarantine for a compliant pet, and no rabies titre test from Canada. Frankfurt is the main gateway, and transit routings there use the Animal Lounge, which adds published handling of about 480 euros plus a vet clearance fee near 200 euros. Figures checked August 2026.
What it costs, line by line
| Cost | Amount | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| CFIA export certification | Set by the CFIA at the endorsement appointment | CFIA |
| Airline freight | Quoted per booking on your crate size and dates | Airline |
| Frankfurt Animal Lounge handling, on routings through FRA | About EUR 480 plus around EUR 200 vet clearance | Airport facility |
| IATA crate | CAD $80 to $340 at retail depending on size. We size the crate at your pet’s fitting and confirm the cost before anything is booked | Retailer |
| Vet exam, health certificate, blood draw | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
| Import permit | None | Not applicable |
| Quarantine | None for a compliant pet | Not applicable |
The equivalent US endorsement runs USD $101 to $275; exporting from Canada is dramatically cheaper on the government side.
How flight pricing works on this route
Live animal freight from Canada is priced per booking, not from a rate card. Lufthansa is the carrier most often quoted on this lane, and two of its published rules can decide the routing before the price does: see our guide to the Lufthansa pet policy from Canada. Air Canada Cargo, WestJet, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Emirates and Qatar all quote each shipment individually, based on crate size, route, and dates.
No US carrier publishes a pet freight rate out of Canada. American Airlines Cargo, which does publish a transborder cargo tariff, states that it does not transport any animals outbound from Canada at all, so it is not an option on this lane unless the pet is driven to a US gateway and flown from there. The exact figure for this route is set once the crate size and dates are known, which is why we price it per booking instead of printing a number that will not match your itinerary.
What we can tell you is what drives it. Airlines charge on chargeable weight, which is whichever is greater: actual weight, or a volume figure from the crate dimensions. For pets the volume figure almost always wins. Air Canada publishes the divisor at 166 cubic inches per pound. A size 400 crate works out to roughly 66 kg of chargeable weight no matter what is inside it, which is why crate size moves the price more than the dog does.
What is not included here
Your vet sets their own fees. The examination, the certificate paperwork and any blood draw are priced by your clinic and vary between practices. Ask for a quote when you book the visit; we handle the timing so every piece lands inside its validity window. The lab fee covers the test itself, and the draw is always the clinic’s charge.
Ground transport at either end is quoted per route. Our coordination fee is included in the total we quote you and itemised on your invoice.
What moves the price
Crate size is the single biggest lever, because it drives chargeable weight. Direct routings cost more per kilogram than they look but remove transfer handling. Season matters too: winter cold embargoes and summer heat rules both narrow booking windows from Canada. Two pets on one certificate share the CFIA endorsement, while each extra pet adds its own crate and freight.
Figures and sources
Export certification from the CFIA pet export requirements. EU entry rules from the European Commission guidance on moving pets. Frankfurt handling from the published Animal Lounge rates. Checked August 2026.
Want this priced for your pet and dates?
Send us the route, the breed and roughly when you want to travel. Request a quote and we will reply with an itemised plan, a timeline and clear next steps.
For entry rules and the full paperwork timeline, see our guide to pet shipping requirements for Germany.
Last updated