How Much Does Pet Transport Cost in Canada? (2026 Price Guide)
The honest answer: it depends. But after running pet transports since 2020, the patterns are clear. Here's what actually drives the cost, typical ranges for common routes, and the hidden fees to watch for.
These are planning ranges from typical past trips, not a quote or a guaranteed price. For a single animal, our door-to-door pet transports have most often landed between $465 and $2,500 CAD (our minimum charge is $465): a short regional trip under 4 hours typically $465 to $700, a mid-distance cross-border run $895 to $1,400 (a trip into the United States never under $893), and a long-haul two-day inter-Canada trip $1,500 to $2,500. These assume one animal, starting from wherever the assigned driver happens to be. Additional animals, a supplied crate, cross-border coordination, hotel stays, rental vehicles, airport or air-cargo legs, tolls, and other third-party charges can all move the final number, and every quote is calculated individually for your specific trip. Two fees are fixed and published: $200 CAD for each additional animal, and $85 CAD per animal per night when a trip needs an overnight hold. For what the service includes before you price a trip, start with our overview of private pet transport across Canada.
The four things that actually drive cost
After running hundreds of pet transports, I can tell you the price is almost always a function of these four variables:
- Distance. Fuel, tolls, and driver time scale with kilometers driven. A 4-hour same-day round trip is fundamentally different from a 17-hour two-day haul.
- Number of pets.Two puppies from the same litter is similar to one because they're going to the same place. Two pets to two different drop-offs changes the route and the price.
- Border crossings. Cross-border trips need more coordination (customs brokers, paperwork verification, timing at the border) so they carry more operational overhead than domestic trips.
- Timing.A trip booked three weeks out is smoother and cheaper than a trip booked for this weekend. Last-minute bookings sometimes carry premium pricing if we're rearranging existing trips.
Typical ranges by trip type
These are historical planning ranges drawn from typical past trips, not a quote. They assume one animal, starting from wherever the assigned driver happens to be. Additional animals, a supplied crate, cross-border coordination, hotel stays, rental vehicles, airport or air-cargo legs, tolls, and other third-party charges can all change the final number, and every quote is calculated individually for your trip.
- Short regional (under 4 hours one-way): typically $465 to $700 CAD. Examples: Fredericton to Bangor or Hamilton to Buffalo.
- Mid-distance cross-border (6 to 10 hours): typically $895 to $1,400 CAD. Examples: Moncton to Boston or Toronto to New York.
- Long-haul inter-Canada (15 to 18 hours, two-day trip): typically $1,500 to $2,500 CAD. Examples: Fredericton to Toronto or Halifax to Toronto.
- Airport pickup only: from $465 CAD, our minimum charge, depending on the airport and final drop-off.
What does private ground pet transport cost within Canada?
Our private ground transport quotes account for both the vehicle and the driver's time. We calculate the complete route from the assigned driver's home to pickup, onward to delivery, and back to the driver's home.
The vehicle portion is based on the total route kilometres, while driver time is based on the mapped driving time plus required pickup, delivery and processing time. Longer trips may require hotel stays. Cross-border trips include additional coordination, and air-cargo charges are quoted separately.
Because the driver's starting location, road conditions, required stops and return route affect the total, the distance between pickup and delivery cannot provide an exact price by itself. Contact us with the pickup location, delivery location, travel date, number of animals, and animal details for an exact quote.
Fixed-price services
A few of our services have a flat rate rather than a custom quote, so you know the number up front:
- Comfort Stop at Fredericton airport: $300 CAD flat. Layover care at YFC for a pet connecting between flights, including the re-check-in; $85 CAD per night if the connection is the next day.
- Flight nanny (in-cabin): $400 CAD per day plus travel expenses. We fly in the cabin with your small dog or cat.
- Private charter: typically $10,000 to $20,000 CAD depending on route. A private aircraft for dogs too big for the cabin and too precious for cargo.
What's included in the transport fee
- Dedicated vehicle for the entire trip (only your pets in the van)
- Driver time, including overnight stays on multi-day trips
- Fuel, tolls, and vehicle wear
- In-transit updates, photos, and location check-ins
- Water, breaks, walks, and basic care during the trip
- Pickup at the breeder or shelter and drop-off at your front door
What's NOT included
- Customs broker fees for cross-border trips. RNR International charges $150 CAD + HST on the declared animal value for Canadian-side clearance. OmegaCHB files US-side clearance at $428 CAD ($300 USD), which we bill with your trip. Running Red bills you directly.
- Veterinary costs. Health certificates, last-minute re-shots, or emergency care during the trip are your responsibility.
- Government fees. CDC Dog Import Form is free to file, but other import/export permits may carry small fees.
- Air cargo fees. When we coordinate CargoJet flights from Hamilton or Moncton, the airline cargo fee is separate from our transport fee.
- Large-crate rental,if Dreamer's Bliss supplies a large transport crate. $40 CAD per crate, per trip, covering use, preparation, securement, cleaning, storage, wear, and eventual replacement. Not applied if you provide your own crate; the crate remains Dreamer's Bliss property.
Why $200 non-refundable deposit?
The deposit secures your date and reserves the vehicle. Turning down other inquiries for your pickup window carries real operational cost, and that cost stays whether or not you ultimately travel. The deposit is applied to your final invoice, so it's not a fee on top of the trip cost. See the full deposit and cancellation policy.
How to get an accurate quote
The quote form asks for pickup address, drop-off address, date, and pet details. With those four pieces of info I can usually respond within 24 hours with an accurate price. If the route involves a border crossing, I'll include the broker fee estimate as a separate line so you can see the full picture. Request a quote here.
FAQs
Why can't you just post a price list?
Because fuel prices, vehicle availability, route timing, and pet count change every quote. A flat price list would either over-charge short trips or lose money on long ones. Custom quotes are fairer to both sides.
Is it cheaper to fly my pet cargo?
For cross-country trips (e.g. Halifax to Vancouver), cargo often comes out cheaper because of the sheer driving distance. For regional trips under 12 hours, ground transport is usually comparable or cheaper once you add up airline cargo fees, vet-issued carrier requirements, and airport drop-off and pickup.
What's NOT included in your transport fee?
Customs broker fees (RNR International or OmegaCHB, billed separately), veterinary costs for last-minute health certs or emergency care, your CDC Dog Import Form filing (free but you do it), airline cargo fees if flying, and overnight hotel stays you arrange for your own pet. If we supply a large transport crate, that's a separate $40 CAD rental fee per crate, per trip.
Is the $200 deposit counted toward the total?
Yes. It's applied against your final trip fee. If the quoted trip is $1,200, you pay $200 at booking and $1,000 on pickup.
How much does it cost to ship a dog?
These are planning ranges from typical past trips, not a fixed quote. For a single animal, our door-to-door ground service has typically run $465 to $2,500 CAD depending on distance, the number of animals, and whether the trip crosses a border. Our minimum charge is $465 CAD, a trip into the United States starts at $893 CAD (the minimum plus customs clearance), and long two-day inter-Canada hauls reach $2,500. Airport pickups start at the same $465 minimum. Additional animals, a supplied crate, cross-border coordination (including customs clearance: $150 CAD plus tax into Canada, billed by the broker, or $428 CAD ($300 USD) into the USA, billed by us), hotel stays, and other third-party charges are calculated on top, and every quote is calculated individually for your trip.
Is it cheaper to drive or fly my pet?
For trips under about 12 hours of driving, ground transport is usually comparable or cheaper once you add airline cargo fees and airport handling. For cross-country distances like the Maritimes to British Columbia, CargoJet air cargo often wins because the drive would take multiple days. We'll tell you honestly which one fits your route.
Ready for a quote?
Tell us the route, the pet, and the date. We'll come back with a price within 24 hours.