Daily Living
Traveling Off-Island With (or Without) Your Pet
Confederation Bridge crossings are simple with a pet in the car, but the Wood Islands ferry has actual rules: leashes, carriers, and a dog park to burn energy before boarding. Here is what to know either way.
1. Crossing the Confederation Bridge
The bridge itself has no special pet policy; your pet simply stays in the vehicle for the roughly 12-minute crossing like any other car trip, and the toll (charged only when leaving PEI) applies to the vehicle, not any passengers or pets inside it.
2. The Wood Islands Ferry Has Real Pet Rules
Northumberland Ferries, running the seasonal Wood Islands (PEI) to Caribou (Nova Scotia) route, welcomes cats and dogs aboard the MV Confederation and MV Northumberland, with three ways to travel:
| Option | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Stay in your vehicle | Simplest option; no vehicle deck access during the crossing, but crew monitors and will announce if a pet appears distressed |
| Pre-booked kennel | Dog stays in a kennel on the vehicle deck; booking required, subject to availability |
| With you | Cats stay in a portable carrier; dogs stay on-leash on exterior passenger decks or in the pre-bookable Pet Friendly Lounge |
3. Rules Once You're On Board
- Leashes must be non-retractable
- Cats must remain in a carrier at all times
- Pets aren't permitted in food or beverage service areas
- Dogs can't sit on seats or block emergency exits
- Vaccinations aren't mandatory for ferry travel but are strongly encouraged
- Documented service animals on-leash are the one exception allowed on interior passenger decks
4. Use the Wood Islands Facilities Before You Board
Both the Wood Islands (PEI) and Caribou (Nova Scotia) terminals have designated outdoor pet relief areas. Wood Islands also has a fenced, grassy off-leash dog park, worth using specifically to tire your dog out before a crossing, since a restless dog in a vehicle for an hour-plus wait and sailing is a common source of on-board stress.
5. If You're Boarding a Plane Instead
Air travel out of Charlottetown Airport follows the individual airline's pet policy, not a PEI-specific rule; check cabin and cargo pet requirements directly with your carrier, and note that international destinations may have their own import rules mirroring the CFIA process covered elsewhere in this series, just running in reverse.