CargoJet Pet Shipping from Hamilton and Moncton

The two origins: YHM and YQM

We use CargoJet out of two airports:

• Hamilton International (YHM).Our Ontario origin point for pets going to Western Canada or the Maritimes. Hamilton is CargoJet's main hub.
• Greater Moncton (YQM). Our Atlantic origin point for pets heading to Ontario, Quebec, or across the country.

From either origin, CargoJet reaches every major Canadian city with live animal handling capability.

When air cargo is the right call

• Trip is longer than 18 hours of driving (e.g., Halifax to Vancouver, Moncton to Calgary)
• Destination is in Western Canada or the North where ground transport isn't practical
• Weather conditions favour air over ground for a specific window
• Timing matters (adopter flying in soon, buyer on short notice)

When ground transport beats air

• Trip is under 12 hours of driving
• The pet is very young, elderly, or medically fragile
• Temperature extremes are in effect (most summer/winter days for live animal embargo)
• You want real-time updates throughout the trip

What CargoJet shipping involves

1. IATA-compliant crate. Live animal transport by air requires a crate meeting IATA Live Animal Regulations. Size, ventilation, door orientation, and labelling are all specified. We source or recommend crates.
2. Health certificate within the required window. Typically 10 days before the flight for domestic Canadian shipments.
3. CargoJet booking.Flights are booked through CargoJet directly with the animal's details, flight number, and receiving contact.
4. Drop-off at cargo.Typically 3-4 hours before flight time. We handle this if we're picking up the pet from a breeder or rescue.
5. Flight. Temperature-controlled cargo hold. Most CargoJet routes are short (2-6 hours).
6. Cargo pickup at destination. We can coordinate with a ground transport partner in the destination city, or the buyer can pick up directly at the cargo facility.

Cost expectations

CargoJet cargo fees vary by weight, crate size, and destination. Rough ranges for a single small-to-medium dog in an IATA crate:

• Hamilton to Halifax: $350-$500 CAD
• Moncton to Toronto: $300-$450 CAD
• Hamilton to Vancouver: $600-$900 CAD
• Moncton to Calgary: $650-$950 CAD

These are the CargoJet fees only. Our ground transport to and from the cargo facility is billed separately, typically $150-$400 depending on the origin breeder's distance from YHM or YQM and the destination's distance from the receiving airport.

The paperwork

• Health certificate (within 10 days of flight for domestic)
• Rabies vaccination certificate
• IATA-compliant crate labelled with the animal's details
• Receiving contact info (phone, email, address)
• Food and water bowls attached to the crate per IATA rules

Hybrid: ground + cargo

Our most common setup for really long trips: pet flies CargoJet from origin airport to destination airport, we handle the ground leg on one or both ends.

Example: Breeder in PEI sells a puppy to a buyer near Calgary. We drive from PEI to YQM, handle CargoJet drop-off, the puppy flies to YYC. Either a Calgary ground partner or the buyer picks up at YYC cargo. That's a 24-hour total journey for a puppy that would otherwise be a 4-day drive.

Book a CargoJet coordinated shipment

If you're unsure whether ground or air is right for your trip, request a quote and we'll send you both options. Or see our ground vs. air comparison guide.