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Toronto Pet Valet

Snowbirds

Snowbird pet transport: to Florida for the winter, home in the spring

Heading south for the winter? We move your dog or cat door to door from Toronto to Florida in the fall and bring them home in the spring. We plan the safest way for your pet and look after the border paperwork for both trips. Pets only: you travel separately.

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Two happy dogs riding in a turquoise golf cart under palm trees

One plan for the whole season

A long drive south with a dog or cat in the back seat is hard on everyone, and the paperwork for the border and for Florida is easy to get wrong. We take that off your list.

In the fall, we collect your pet at your door in the Toronto area and deliver them to your winter home in Florida. In the spring, we collect them at your Florida door and bring them home. Before each trip, we tell you which papers your pet needs and when to see your vet.

You can drive or fly down on your own schedule, and your pet arrives once you are settled.

Step by step

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us both dates

    Fill in the form for the trip south and add your return date in the last step. We send you a quote for both trips by email once it is ready.

  2. 2

    Papers for the trip south

    We help with the CDC Dog Import Form, and your vet signs the Florida health certificate no more than 30 days before your pet arrives.

  3. 3

    South in the fall

    We collect your pet at home in the Toronto area, arrange customs clearance and deliver them to your door in Florida.

  4. 4

    Home in the spring

    We confirm the plan with you before your return date, collect your pet at your Florida door and deliver them home.

Paperwork

What your pet needs each season

Going south in the fall

  • Dogs, for the US: at least 6 months old, a microchip that a universal scanner can read, and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The form is free and online, and we help you fill it in.
  • Cats, for the US: the CDC asks only that cats look healthy on arrival.
  • For Florida: a vet health certificate issued no more than 30 days before arrival, because your pet travels without you, and a current rabies vaccination for dogs and cats 3 months and older.

Coming home in the spring

  • Dogs 3 months and older: a rabies vaccination certificate, in English or French, that identifies the dog and shows a current vaccination.
  • Cats 3 months and older: a vet certificate that identifies the cat and shows a current rabies vaccination.
  • Vaccine running out? If your pet's rabies vaccine expires over the winter, book a booster with a Florida vet before the trip home and keep the new certificate.

The full rules in both directions are on moving a pet between Canada and the US.

When to book

  • Going south: most snowbirds go between late October and December. Book a few weeks ahead so there is time for the vet visit and the papers.
  • Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. For trips in October and November, we watch the forecast and may move the date if a storm comes near.
  • Coming home: most snowbirds come back between March and May, before the Florida summer heat.
  • Toronto in spring can still be cold. A short-haired dog may need a coat for the first walks.

Travelling with an older pet

  • Ask your vet whether your pet is fit for the trip, and bring a list of medicines and doses for us.
  • Send a familiar blanket or toy, and the same food your pet eats at home.
  • Tell us in the form about any health needs, a nervous pet, or anything that helps us plan.
A golden retriever sitting on the beach at sunset

Where we pick up and deliver

We pick up and deliver at your door in Toronto and the GTA, and at your door anywhere in Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Jacksonville.

Moving to Florida for good? See Toronto to Florida pet transport. Coming home for good? See Florida to Toronto pet transport.

Last checked against the CDC, CFIA and Florida government pages on October 9, 2026.

Rules change. Always check the official page before you book.

Snowbird pet transport: questions

Can you take my pet to Florida in the fall and bring them home in the spring?
Yes. We move your dog or cat door to door from the Toronto area to your winter home in Florida, and back again in the spring. We plan both trips and look after the border paperwork with you.
How do I book both trips?
Fill in the form for the trip south, with your Toronto address, your Florida address and your date. In the last step, "Anything we should know?", add your return date. We send you a quote for both trips by email once it is ready.
What if my return date changes?
Tell us as early as you can and we plan the trip home for the new date. Your pet's rabies vaccination must still be current on the new date, so check it when the date moves.
Does my pet need new papers every winter?
Mostly, yes. Each trip south needs a Florida health certificate issued no more than 30 days before arrival, because your pet travels without you. A dog also needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, which can be used again for trips from Canada for 6 months, so most snowbirds need a new one each fall. Coming home, Canada asks for a current rabies vaccination. We send you the list before each trip.
My pet is older. Is the trip too much for them?
Many snowbird pets are seniors, and most travel well with the right plan. Tell us about your pet's health and medicines in the form, and ask your vet before the trip. We plan the safest way for your pet, and if we think the trip is not right for them, we tell you.
Can I ride along with my pet?
No. Pets only in our vehicles. You travel separately, and you or an adult you name meets your pet at the door.
We spend the winter in Arizona, Texas or California. Can you help?
Yes. We move pets door to door between Canada and the US in both directions. Fill in the form with your winter address and we send you a quote.
Can a puppy under 6 months go south with you?
The CDC says dogs must be at least 6 months old when they enter the US, and it makes exceptions only with its own written approval, given in advance. If your puppy is younger, ask us before you make plans, and we look at your case.

Heading south this winter?

Tell us both dates and about your pet. We send your quote by email once it is ready.

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