Can I Take My Dog on the Coho Ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles?

Yes, you can take your dog on the M.V. Coho, the Black Ball Ferry Line boat that crosses from Victoria's Inner Harbour to Port Angeles, Washington. Dogs ride free, they travel on the main passenger deck, and the ferry keeps kennels and water dishes for them in the mid-ship lounge and the solarium. It is a 90-minute crossing that runs year-round, and it is the most dog-friendly way to leave downtown Victoria by water that we know.

We have talked through this trip with clients more than once, because the Coho is the easiest international getaway from downtown, and the dog question always comes up before the border question. Here is the honest version of both.

Where can my dog ride during the crossing?

The Coho is more relaxed about dogs than most ferries. Pets are welcome on the main passenger deck, so you are not confined to a corner or stuck in your car. The best spots are the mid-ship lounge and the solarium on the outer deck, where the crew keeps free dog kennels and water dishes.

The two places that are off-limits are the coffee shop and the forward observation lounge. That is easy to plan around: grab coffee before you board, then settle into the mid-ship lounge with your dog. Dogs can also stay inside your vehicle on the vehicle deck, which is the right call for a dog that travels better in a car than in a lounge, though the deck gets busy with loading and unloading at both ends.

Do dogs need a ticket?

No. Dogs ride free on the Coho, with no pet ticket to buy. What you do need is paperwork, and the border rules are the part people forget until they are standing at the counter.

What paperwork does my dog need for the border?

Your dog needs a valid rabies vaccination certificate, full stop. On top of that, since August 1, 2024, dogs entering the United States from Canada, which is classified as a rabies-free or low-risk country, need a completed CDC Dog Import Form filed online before you travel. Returning to Canada, there is no quarantine, but carry the same rabies proof with you.

Border requirements change faster than ferry schedules, so check the CDC dog import page and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency requirements before you book. Missing a form is the one thing that can end the trip, and it is worth an hour of your evening to get the paperwork right rather than learn the rule at the terminal.

How do we make the 90 minutes easy for the dog?

Walk the dog along the Inner Harbour promenade before boarding, the stretch between the Legislature and the breakwater, so the trip starts with an empty bladder and a tired dog. Carry your own water bowl; the ferry provides dishes, but your dog has preferences. On the outer deck, the solarium is sheltered, which matters in our climate even on a calm day, and a towel to lay down makes the lounge floor a lot more comfortable.

Keep the routine boring and the crossing becomes the easiest part of the trip. Port Angeles is a walkable town on the other side, with the Olympic Mountains right at the waterfront, so you step off the boat and into the day. If you want to spend the night rather than turn around, pet-friendly hotels on the Olympic Peninsula are easy to find from the ferry dock.

How does the Coho compare to the other ways out of Victoria?

BC Ferries out of Swartz Bay carries dogs too, but with tighter rules: dogs ride in your car or in a few pet-friendly areas, and the sailing is longer. Harbour Air seaplanes take dogs only in carriers. The Coho is the one option where your dog travels like a passenger, and it lands you in an American town you can explore on foot. Our BC Ferries dog guide and our Harbour Air dog guide have the details for those routes.

What does a dog-friendly ferry terminal mean for where you live?

The Coho terminal sits on Belleville Street, a five-minute walk from the downtown core. Living within walking distance of the harbour turns a spontaneous trip to Port Angeles into a morning decision instead of a road trip, no car and no yard required.

That is a real argument for downtown and James Bay for dog owners who travel, and an honest counterweight to the no-yard trade-off. If you want to weigh condo life near the harbour against a yard on the Peninsula, we do that math with buyers all the time, and a consultation with the Happy Homes Team is the fastest way to get the honest version.