Announcement of the General Administration of Customs on Quarantine and Hygiene Requirements for Imported Canadian Pet Food

　　In accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations and the provisions of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as "China") and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (hereinafter referred to as "Canada") on the quarantine and hygiene requirements for the export of Canadian pet food to China, as of today, the import of Canadian pet food meeting the following requirements is permitted:

　　I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

　　(1) The Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China;

　　(2) The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its implementing regulations;

　　(3) The Administrative Measures for the Inspection, Quarantine and Supervision of Imported and Exported Feeds and Feed Additives;

　　(4) The Arrangement between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on the Quarantine and Hygiene Requirements for the Export of Canadian Pet Food to China (hereinafter referred to as the "Arrangement").

　　II. Scope of Permitted Imported Products

　　The pet food mentioned in this announcement refers to industrially processed products for direct consumption by pets (dogs and cats), including dry food, canned food, snacks, and chew toys.

　　III. Requirements for Source Animals of Products

　　The source animals of raw materials for pet food exported to China shall meet the following requirements:

　　(1) They shall not be ruminants (except milk and dairy products) and aquatic mammals;

　　(2) They shall not be animals from illegal hunting or fishing;

　　(3) They shall not be animals that died of animal diseases;

　　(4) They shall not be animals whose movement was restricted or were culled to control or eradicate animal epidemics;

　　(5) Terrestrial animals shall be slaughtered in slaughterhouses approved by relevant Canadian authorities. After pre - slaughter and post - slaughter inspections, they shall show no clinical symptoms of animal infectious diseases that can be transmitted to animals or humans through the products.

　　IV. Requirements for Raw Materials

　　(1) The raw materials shall come from enterprises effectively supervised by relevant Canadian authorities, meet relevant Canadian laws, regulations, and safety and hygiene requirements, and be suitable for pet food production.

　　(2) Animal - derived raw materials shall meet the following requirements:

　　1. They shall not contain ruminant - derived ingredients and shall not be contaminated with ruminant - derived ingredients (except milk and dairy products);

　　2. They shall come from relevant non - epidemic areas that meet the provisions of the World Organisation for Animal Health and are recognized by China;

　　3. Aquatic raw materials shall come from aquatic animals (except aquatic mammals) and by - products generated in the process of producing products for human consumption. The source animals of the raw materials shall show no symptoms of infectious diseases.

　　(3) Animal - derived raw materials from countries other than Canada shall be legally imported, pass the inspection and quarantine by Canada, and be legally used in pet food production.

　　(4) Plant - derived raw materials shall not contain genetically modified ingredients not approved by Chinese authorities.

　　V. Requirements for Production and Processing Enterprises

　　(1) They shall be approved by relevant Canadian authorities and operate legally;

　　(2) They shall implement a hygiene management system based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP);

　　(3) They shall accept supervision and inspections by relevant Canadian authorities to ensure that their production and processing continuously meet relevant Canadian safety and hygiene management regulations and shall not be restricted due to safety and hygiene problems;

　　(4) They shall be recommended by Canada and registered with China.

　　VI. Requirements for Production and Processing

　　The production and processing processes of pet food exported to China shall meet the following requirements:

　　(1) Production shall be organized in accordance with the hygiene management system approved or recognized by relevant Canadian authorities, and effective control shall be exercised over key production control points;

　　(2) Canada shall conduct daily supervision over production and processing in accordance with relevant laws and regulations to ensure that the production and processing processes continuously meet relevant Canadian safety and hygiene management regulations;

　　(3) Commercially sterile pet food shall be processed using a heat treatment method with a F0 value of not less than 3.0;

　　(4) Puffed and dried pet food shall be processed through puffing and drying at a central temperature of at least 90°C, or processed by other equivalent methods approved by Canada and recognized by China to ensure the elimination of epidemic risks such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease;

　　(5) Other processed pet food shall be heat - treated at a central temperature of at least 90°C, or processed by other equivalent methods approved by Canada and recognized by China to ensure the elimination of epidemic risks such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease;

　　(6) Effective measures shall be taken in the production process in accordance with the requirements of the hygiene management system to avoid contamination by unapproved raw material ingredients, foreign objects, etc.

　　VII. Requirements for Products

　　(1) They shall be allowed to be freely sold in the Canadian domestic market;

　　(2) They shall have complete traceability;

　　(3) They shall not contain any prohibited substances stipulated in Chinese laws and regulations or relevant Canadian food and feed safety legislation;

　　(4) They shall not be contaminated with unapproved production raw materials or ingredients;

　　(5) They shall not contain toxic and harmful substances that endanger animal health and shall meet relevant safety and hygiene standards of China and Canada;

　　(6) Before export, 5 samples shall be randomly selected from each production batch for testing. The test results shall meet the following requirements:

　　1. Commercially sterile pet food shall meet the requirements of commercial sterility;

　　2. Non - commercially sterile pet food shall meet the following requirements:

　　Salmonella: Not detected in 25 grams: n = 5, c = 0, m = 0, M = 0;

　　Enterobacteriaceae: In 1 gram, n = 5, c = 2, m = 10, M = 300;

　　Among them:

　　n = the number of samples tested;

　　c = the number of samples with a bacterial count between m and M; if the bacterial count of other samples is m or less, the sample is still considered acceptable;

　　m = the threshold of the bacterial count; if the bacterial count in all samples does not exceed m, the result is considered to meet the requirements;

　　M = the maximum value of the bacterial count; if the bacterial count in a single sample or multiple samples is M or more, the result is considered not to meet the requirements.

　　VIII. Requirements for Packaging, Labeling, Storage, and Transportation

　　(1) The packaging materials shall be new, clean, have good sealing and moisture - proof performance, and be not easily damaged;

　　(2) A Chinese label shall be affixed to the packaging, and the label shall meet the requirements of China's Regulations on Pet Feed Labeling;

　　(3) The outer packaging shall indicate the name and registration number of the production and processing enterprise, and be marked with the Chinese words "Exported to the People's Republic of China" and "Not for human consumption" or "For pet consumption only";

　　(4) Effective measures shall be taken to avoid contamination during the storage and transportation of pet food.

　　IX. Requirements for Pre - export Inspection and Certificates

　　Pet food exported to China shall be inspected and quarantined by Canada, and a hygiene certificate shall be issued to prove that the products meet the requirements of the "Arrangement". Each batch of pet food shall be accompanied by a hygiene certificate, one original and two copies.

　　X. Requirements for Entry Inspection and Quarantine

　　(1) Quarantine approval.

　　The importing enterprise shall apply for a Permit for the Entry of Animals and Plants for Quarantine in accordance with relevant regulations.

　　(2) Verification of certificates and documents.

　　1. Verify whether the Permit for the Entry of Animals and Plants for Quarantine is attached as required;

　　2. Verify whether the products come from a registered enterprise;

　　3. Verify the authenticity and validity of the hygiene certificate.

　　(3) Inspection of goods.

　　Chinese customs shall conduct inspection and quarantine on Canadian pet food exported to China in accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules, etc., and the requirements of this announcement. Products that pass the inspection and quarantine are allowed to enter China.

　　(4) Handling of non - compliant situations.

　　1. In any of the following situations, the products shall be returned or destroyed: without a valid hygiene certificate; from a non - registered Canadian production enterprise; inconsistent between the goods and the certificates; the discovery of soil, animal carcasses, animal excreta, and quarantine - pest organisms that cannot be effectively quarantined; the label does not meet the standards and cannot be corrected.

　　2. If it is found through testing that the safety and hygiene items do not meet China's pet feed hygiene standards, the products shall be disinfected, returned, or destroyed.

　　3. If scattered packages or broken containers are found, the owner or agent shall be responsible for arranging them properly. If the packaging is damaged and there is a risk of spreading animal and plant diseases, the contaminated sites, items, and utensils shall be quarantined.

　　4. If a production enterprise has serious problems or repeatedly fails to meet the requirements, China may suspend its qualification to export to China.

　　This announcement is hereby issued.

　　General Administration of Customs

　　February 2, 2026