NAIA Member Alert: CDC Dog Import Rule This week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated requirements set to go into effect on August 1 for dogs entering the U.S. from low-risk or canine-rabies free countries like Canada. Under the new entry requirements, dogs that have only been in canine-rabies free or low-risk countries in the past six months will be required to:
Appear healthy upon arrival
Be at least six months of age
Be microchipped
Fill out the CDC Import Form
The CDC Import Form for dogs that have not been in high-risk countries is a simple self-attestation that the dog has not been in a high-risk country for the past six months, and does not require photo identification or information on where the animal will stay while in the U.S. The form will be good for travel into the U.S. for six months from the date of issuance and can be used for multiple entries. Travelers may fill out the form on the day of travel and can show the receipt to airlines or border officials by phone or using a printed copy.
While NAIA has strong concerns about CDC removing the rabies vaccination requirement for low-risk countries, we appreciate the agency’s recognition that our northern border has a lower risk profile and should be treated differently than countries that are high-risk for canine rabies. The Healthy Dog Importation Act would give the U.S. Department of Agriculture the discretion to determine different vaccination and parasitic treatment requirements on a country-by-country basis.
NAIA was the first organization to contact the Canadian Government regarding the CDC final rule, and we are committed to continue working with Embassy officials to ensure appropriate flexibilities for the US-Canada border as we work to advance the Healthy Dog Importation Act.
