Bringing dogs into the U.S. is about to get a whole lot tougher | PSA ⚠️
The CDC issues more stringent rules on dogs entering the country — and it’s tough.
Hello Friends.
Several weeks ago I learned that it’s about to get a whole lot tougher to bring dogs into the United States. In my opinion, shockingly so — hence, why I’m issuing a ‘Public Service Announcement’ regarding the upcoming changes. Beginning August 1, 2024 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) will implement stringent rules on dogs entering the country — and it’s tough.
If you travel internationally with your dog this will effect you. If you take your service dog abroad, this will effect you. If you have plans to import a puppy this will effect you.
I strongly encourage you to take the time to read this issue of The Leash and visit the corresponding links. Pass it on to all your dog-loving friends. There are oodles of people in our community who do travel internationally with their dogs and I hope that collectively we can make sure they know about these impending changes.
I cannot imagine being caught unaware of this new rule while abroad only to discover that, upon returning home, my dog is not allowed re-entry into the US and will be ‘deported’ to the country of departure until the requirements are met. This is a really big deal.
xo ~ Suzanne
The C.D.C.’S New Rules
Under the new C.D.C. regulations, all dogs entering the United States must:
Appear healthy
Be at least six months old
Have received an ISO-compatible microchip prior to receiving the rabies vaccine, and
The owner must verify the animal either has a valid rabies vaccine or has not been in a country where rabies is endemic in the last six months
Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt (found on their website).
Have additional documents depending on where the dog has been in the last 6 months and whether or not the dog was vaccinated in the United States.
Dogs coming from a country that is considered at high risk for canine rabies (DMRVV) and who received a rabies vaccine from another country must meet additional criteria. Those include getting a blood test before they leave the other country to make sure the animal has immunity against rabies, a physical examination upon arrival and getting a U.S. rabies vaccine. If the dog doesn't have a blood test showing immunity, it must be quarantined for 28 days.
What You Need to Know
Date of New Rules: August 1, 2024 at 12:01a.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time)
Why the New Rules: It’s aimed at preventing the reintroduction of dog rabies into the U.S. and addresses recent challenges seen with international dog importations, including the challenges posed by fraudulent documentation.
CDC Regulations: issued to control the entry of dogs into the United States from other countries. These rules apply to all dogs, including puppies, service animals, and dogs that left the United States and are returning. They also apply whether you are a U.S. citizen, legal U.S. resident, or foreign national.
Non-Compliance with CDC Rules: If you don’t follow CDC’s rules, your dog won’t be allowed to enter the United States. If denied entry, your dog will be sent back to the last country of departure at your expense. Country of departure is where the last trip originated — not where the dog was born or where it lives.
In addition, you must comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) and your U.S. destination’s regulations.
What’s Needed to Bring Your Dog into the US: To enter the U.S. your dog will need to meet certain criteria — such as when your dog will arrive, where its been in the previous 6 months prior to arriving in the U.S. and where your dog received its rabies vaccine. Use the CDC’s ‘DogBot’ to determine what rules apply to your dog.
Why the new regulations?
It’s all about addressing the increased risk of disease — especially the fatal, but preventable viral disease of rabies (the U.S. has been declared rabies-free since 2007).
While our veterinary protocols here in the U.S. include vaccinating puppies and dogs against rabies, there are 150 countries where rabies is still endemic.
According to a NPR interview on May 8th, Dr. Emily Pieracci, a CDC veterinary medicine officer said, “addressing this increased risk has become quite challenging due to the large scale international movement of dogs as well as fraudulent documentation for imported dogs”.
In 2021, amid a surge of pandemic-inspired dog adoptions, the CDC suspended importations from 113 countries where rabies is still endemic because of an increase in fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates. The countries include Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, Colombia, Russia, Vietnam, North Korea, Nepal, China and Syria.
The Bad Actors
As someone whose life and career is dog-centric, I am an advocate for healthy dogs — which includes routine, age-appropriate vaccinations. Healthy dogs help keep animal and human populations healthy.
It’s truly a travesty that bad actors around the globe have forged health documents for dogs simply to gain access into the United States. By doing so, they not only jeopardized those specific dogs and their people, but everyone coming into contact with said dog including the public at large. The honest and law-abiding are baring the repercussions for the actions of the unscrupulous.
Unintended Consequences
It will be interesting to see how these new rules unfold.
Breeding programs, puppy buyers, trainers and international dog sports — including those hosted in the U.S. that have long attracted international competitors — will certainly be impacted. To what extent is yet to be seen.
In the NPR interview, Dr. Pieracci said, “U.S pet owners shouldn't panic. This really isn't a big change. It sounds like a lot, but not when you break it down, it's really not a huge inconvenience for pet owners.”
I respectfully disagree with that.
From within the dog community there is great concern. There are dog owners who are panicking, it is a big change, and it is an inconvenience.
For example, take the rule that all puppies entering the United States must be at least 6 months old.
Puppies leave their mother and fellow littermates between 8-10 weeks of age to begin their training and next journey. Doing so also prevents littermate syndrome. I have honestly, in all my years involved with dogs, never heard of a litter of puppies staying together until they are 6 months old. Unless the CDC modifies their upcoming rule, it essentially wipes out the importation of puppies altogether.
So what kind of predicament does this place on breeders outside the U.S. and puppy buyers within the U.S.?
Can a potential puppy buyer in the United States afford the additional cost of a 4 month board and train program in the pup’s country of birth?
If so, can the breeder offer that service? If not, is there a trusted colleague in their country that can offer it?
Can the U.S. puppy buyer then afford the higher cost of shipping via the airlines (shippings costs are based on crate size and the weight of the dog)?
Buying an 8-week old puppy is the most cost efficient way of importing new genetics into the U.S. It’s also a vital way of getting a pup from a respected breeding program that was purpose-bred with health, temperament and aptitude for working or sport endeavors.
For most of us, a puppy is the only affordable option. The price of a puppy begins to increase with raising and training — all of which is time consuming and takes patience and skill. Older puppies and young dogs that are offered as “green raised”, “started dogs” or “finished dogs” are markedly more expensive.
For trainers, getting that 8-week old puppy is absolutely paramount to shaping the behaviors wanted — especially for specific jobs, discouraging the unwanted ones, safely exposing it to new environments, situations and people.
Like provenance is to wine collectors so too is knowing exactly how one’s puppy is raised.
I Got Lucky
On March 4th I picked up two Belgian Malinois pups at the San Francisco International Airport. I imported them from my trusted colleague in Canada.
It’s the fourth time I’ve imported from this breeder over a ten year period. I’m grateful for the relationship we’ve built over the years and the amazing breeding program she has nurtured and built over her lifetime.
These nuggets are destined to become part of my nonprofit, STELLINA Psychiatric Service Dogs. Today, more than ever, I realize just how lucky I am to have them — because as of August 1, 2024 I won’t be able to import any more pups under the age of 6 months.
Source notes and useful websites:
https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs.html.
Here’s a link to find and email your congressman. There are some major issues with this regulation that were not properly thought through and need to be addressed: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/dogs
https://www.avma.org/news/dog-import-requirements-strengthened-prevent-canine-rabies-return
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/rabies
Hi Suzanne, if you travel to Europe (country in the EU such as France) for the summer months, your US born & treated pets are 1) already vaccinated prior to departure. I.E. France requires that your pet be microchipped & received a rabies vaccine within that year or at least a booster within 21 days of travel. That HC (Health Certificate) gets approved by the USDA within 10 days of departure, so if one returns and has not exited France, a non high risk rabies country for example, and return is > august 1, and you have all your papers and titers on top of that there is really no change INMHO. I think this impacts the importation of pets bred outside of th e US. Correct me if I am wrong.