Who clears your pet through customs
Every commercial pet shipment across the Canada-US border needs a licensed customs broker. We've worked with two trusted partners for years. They know animal imports, they know our operation, and they get your pet across the border quickly.
Running Red
- Fee: $150 CAD + HST on declared animal value
- Clears shipments entering Canada
- Coordinates with CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
- Handles importer-of-record paperwork
OmegaCHB
- Fee: $250 USD flat per shipment
- Clears shipments entering the United States
- Coordinates with USDA APHIS and CDC
- Files CBP entry documentation
What a customs broker actually does
A customs broker is the licensed professional who files the paperwork allowing a commercial shipment (your pet, as legally classified in cross-border transport) to leave one country and enter another. They don't touch the animal. They handle the paperwork that government agencies require.
For a Canada-to-USA trip, we work with OmegaCHB in the US. They file the entry documents with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), coordinate with USDA APHIS (agriculture) and the CDC (health), and get the shipment cleared so we can proceed past the border.
For a USA-to-Canada trip, we work with Running Red. They file with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and coordinate with CFIA.
Broker fees are billed separately by the broker, not through us. Your total trip cost includes our transport fee plus the broker fee.
Customs broker questions
Do I have to use your brokers?
No. If you have your own broker, we'll coordinate with them. Running Red and OmegaCHB are our recommendations because we've vetted them over years of shipments.
Why do I need a broker at all? My pet is just a dog.
Commercial pet transport is a regulated cross-border activity. Governments require a licensed intermediary to file entry documents. Skipping a broker means delays at the border, fines, or refused entry. A $150-$250 broker fee prevents those outcomes.
When do I pay the broker?
Brokers typically bill you directly after the crossing. We provide their contact information and coordinate timing, but the broker-client relationship is yours.