Can I ship or sell dog treats in Canada from the US?
Treats made with meat, poultry, eggs, dairy or other animal products can go to Canada only with paperwork. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) wants every shipment of US pet food, treats and supplements to travel with a shipping document and a zoosanitary export certificate from USDA APHIS, and for heat-processed, shelf-stable treats APHIS bases that certificate on an inspection and approval of the facility that made them. Below are CFIA's and APHIS's own words, what follows from them for a home baker, and a short note for makers in Canada. Checked October 4, 2026.
We don't say whether your product can be exported. CFIA and APHIS decide; ask your APHIS Veterinary Services office and your Canadian importer.
What every shipment needs
“As of January 21, 2025 the Importer's Statement of Compliance is no longer required for shipments of pet food products (pet food, treats, and supplements) imported from the United States.” CFIA notice, January 8, 2025Source: inspection.canada.ca
“Each shipment of pet food products must be accompanied by a shipping document” CFIA notice (examples given: invoice, bill of lading, manifest, Canada Customs Invoice)Source: inspection.canada.ca
“and a zoosanitary export certificate issued by the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services.” CFIA noticeSource: inspection.canada.ca
“The shipping document must list the products in the shipment and the amounts and clearly reference the zoosanitary export certificate number.” CFIA noticeSource: inspection.canada.ca
Which products this covers, in CFIA's and APHIS's words:
“The following products containing animal products and by-products are regulated under the Health of Animals Regulations if they are imported into Canada.” CFIA, Import of pet food, treats and chewsSource: inspection.canada.ca
“pet treats (for example jerky and liver bites)” CFIA, Import of pet food, treats and chews (the list also names pet food and pet chews)Source: inspection.canada.ca
“As used herein, the term ‘pet food products’ includes pet food, pet treats and compound chews (i.e., chews that contain animal-origin ingredients other than simple rawhide).” APHIS certificate instructions, Purpose and RequirementsSource: aphis.usda.gov
The facility: APHIS inspection and an approval number
“As of July 1, 2016, certification of all U.S. origin, heat-processed, shelf-stable pet food products (regardless of their inclusion of bovine-origin ingredients) must be based on APHIS inspection and approval of the manufacturing facility(ies) for Canada.” APHIS certificate instructions, Purpose and RequirementsSource: aphis.usda.gov
“To request an inspection by APHIS, please contact the APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) Service Center that covers the State where your facility(ies) is/are located.” APHIS certificate instructions, Purpose and RequirementsSource: aphis.usda.gov
“Enter the name of the manufacturing facility, the address, and the APHIS approval number.” APHIS certificate instructions, item 5 (Processing Plant)Source: aphis.usda.gov
“The certified pet food and/or pet treats were processed in a facility or facilities located in the USA or Canada and authorized by the official competent veterinary authority in the country of origin to manufacture pet food containing animal products and by-products.” APHIS certificate, attestation 1Source: aphis.usda.gov
“The facility manufacturing the pet supplements must be under APHIS inspection, if the facility has a current APHIS facility number and has been inspected for thermally processed pet food products (pet food, pet treats, compound chews), no additional action is needed.” APHIS, Export Animal Products to Canada, Notice: Pet Supplements Exported to CanadaSource: aphis.usda.gov
“An annual on-site inspection by the Central Competent Veterinary Authority (CCVA) is required to verify that the information provided within this questionnaire is complete and accurate as presented.” CFIA Annex 1, facility questionnaire (completed “when required by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency”)Source: inspection.canada.ca
“For each product, include a processing flow chart that clearly describes the heat treatment parameters or other processing.” CFIA Annex 1, question 2Source: inspection.canada.ca
How long a certificate lasts, and what it's for
“This certificate will be valid for 30 days after veterinary endorsement.” APHIS certificate, note 4Source: aphis.usda.gov
“This certificate is only intended to cover shipments of pet food products intended for resale (commercial use) in Canada. If the pet food products have a different intended end use, the Canadian importer should coordinate with CFIA on entry requirements.” APHIS certificate instructions, item 7 (Intended End Use)Source: aphis.usda.gov
Raw or minimally heat-treated treats have a separate APHIS certificate (“Unprocessed (Raw) or Minimally Heat-Treated Pet Food and Pet Treats”, listed on APHIS's Canada page); this page doesn't cover it.
What this means for home bakers
The requirements above apply to each shipment, not just large ones: a single order to a customer in Canada needs the same shipping document and zoosanitary export certificate as a pallet. For heat-processed, shelf-stable treats, APHIS bases that certificate on its inspection and approval of the facility where the treats were made, and the certificate is written for products “intended for resale (commercial use) in Canada”; for any other end use, APHIS says the Canadian importer should coordinate with CFIA. Unless your kitchen has been inspected and approved by APHIS for Canada, these documents describe no route for a one-off order of treats containing animal products. CFIA's personal-import allowance is for travellers bringing food for a pet travelling with them, not for mailed orders:
“Travellers may bring into Canada a personal import of pet food (limit of 20 kg per animal), if the import meets all the following requirements:” CFIA, Personal importsSource: inspection.canada.ca
“the pet food or product must be in the possession of the traveller at the time of entry from the U.S.” CFIA, Personal imports (the pet must also travel with you, and the food must be US-origin and commercially packaged)Source: inspection.canada.ca
This is drawn from the CFIA and APHIS documents quoted on this page; it isn't legal advice. Your buyer, as the importer, can ask CFIA about a specific shipment.
Fish-oil supplements, simple chews and plant-only treats
Fish-oil-only supplements: exempt
“As of July 23, 2024, supplements manufactured in and exported from the United States, packaged for retail sale, that contain fish oil as the only animal origin ingredient [imported under Canadian tariff codes 15.04.10.8009, 15.04.20.8020.01, or 15.18.00.1421.07] are exempt from this requirement, and do not require a Canadian import permit or a U.S. export certificate.” APHIS, Export Animal Products to Canada, Notice: Pet Supplements Exported to CanadaSource: aphis.usda.gov
Simple chews
“Simple pet chews do not require APHIS facility inspection and listing.” Current USDA questionnaire footnote, as quoted in CFIA's September 15, 2026 noticeSource: inspection.canada.ca
“Examples of simple pet chews include such items as only rawhide, bones, tendons, hooves, horns, ears, pizzles, etc.” Same footnoteSource: inspection.canada.ca
Plant-only treats (no animal ingredients)
CFIA's pet food import page covers products containing animal products and by-products. We haven't found a CFIA statement on treats with no animal ingredients, so we don't say what applies: look the product up in CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). “Specific import requirements can be reviewed in the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS).” CFIA, Commercial importsSource: inspection.canada.ca
Proposed change (September 2026)
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing updates to the import requirements for commercial shipments of heat-treated pet food products from the United States (U.S.).” CFIA notice, September 15, 2026Source: inspection.canada.ca
“The CFIA is proposing to change 2 footnotes in the USDA questionnaire. No other changes are planned, unless requested by industry.” CFIA notice, September 15, 2026Source: inspection.canada.ca
“Please send your comments on the proposed changes to APABPImport@inspection.gc.ca by October 15, 2026.” CFIA notice, September 15, 2026Source: inspection.canada.ca
Making dog treats in Canada
Unlike most US states on this site, which register pet food products or license the company before it's sold, CFIA doesn't describe a registration for pet food made and sold within Canada. In its words:
“Pet food is not a comprehensively regulated commodity in Canada compared to food for human consumption or livestock feeds.” CFIA, Regulatory oversight of pet food, treats and chewsSource: inspection.canada.ca
“The oversight of pet food by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is limited to compliance with regulatory requirements for import and export of animal products and by-products.” CFIA, Regulatory oversight of pet food, treats and chewsSource: inspection.canada.ca
“However, certain ingredients used in pet food may be regulated by different regulatory departments in Canada.” CFIA (it names Environment and Climate Change Canada for new substances and Health Canada for pesticides, veterinary drugs and veterinary health products)Source: inspection.canada.ca
Labels: the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act
The basics for a prepackaged product sold to consumers: a net quantity, the product's common name, and the name and principal place of business of the person it was made by or for, in English and French (the name and address may be in either).
“prepackaged product means any product that is packaged in a container in such a manner that it is ordinarily sold to or used or purchased by a consumer without being re-packaged” CPLA s. 2Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
“No dealer shall sell, import into Canada or advertise any prepackaged product unless that product has applied to it a label containing a declaration of net quantity of the product” CPLA s. 4(1)Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
“the identity and principal place of business of the person by or for whom the prepackaged product was manufactured or produced for resale” CPLA s. 10(b)(i)Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
“the identity of the prepackaged product in terms of its common or generic name or in terms of its function” CPLA s. 10(b)(ii)Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
“All information required by the Act and these Regulations to be shown on the label of a prepackaged product shall be shown in both official languages except that the identity and principal place of business of the person by or for whom the prepackaged product was manufactured, processed, produced or packaged for resale may be shown in one of the official languages.” CPLR s. 6(2) (s. 6 also has exemptions, including for some local products)Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
The Competition Bureau's pet food labelling guide is voluntary and dates from 2001, and it says it doesn't cover treats:
“Please note, however, that the Guide is restricted to the labelling and advertising of prepackaged pet food for dogs and cats, and does not apply to pet treats or to food for other pets.” Competition Bureau guide, IntroductionSource: competition-bureau.canada.ca
“If a product is being sold in Quebec or in any other province where provincial language legislation exists, the label must conform to the requirements of that legislation.” Competition Bureau guide, 1.5Source: competition-bureau.canada.ca
Provinces and municipalities can have their own rules for food businesses. We haven't checked them; ask your province and your local public health unit.