CDC Issues New Dog Importation Rules To Keep The U.S. Free From Rabies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues their new dog importation rules that will take effect on August 01, 2024, in an effort to keep rabies out of the country.

On Wednesday, May 08, CDC announced that dogs entering the U.S. must be: healthy upon arrival, at least six months of age, microchipped, and accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt.

Furthermore, dogs coming from countries with high risk of canine rabies must be vaccinated against rabies in order to be able to enter the U.S.

CDC noted that there will be additional requirements based on where the dog has been in the last six months and whether the dog was vaccinated in the U.S. or not.

The new rules apply to all dogs, including service dogs and those that were born in the U.S. but are returning from another country.

CDC also reveals that the temporary suspension for the importation of dogs from countries with a high risk of rabies during the COVID-19 pandemic will expire when the new rules go into effect on August 01.

From now until July 31, 2024, you can still apply for the CDC Dog Import permits that are currently used. However, these permits will expire on August 31, 2024.

CDC writes, “The regulation also more closely aligns with the World Organisation for Animal Health’s standards for the international movement of dogs from countries with a high risk of dog rabies.”

“Furthermore, it addresses recent challenges seen with international dog importations, such as fraudulent documentation and dogs housed in unsafe conditions if they didn’t meet requirements for entry to the United States,” they continued.

CDC is also encouraging people who will travel with their dogs to use the agency’s personalized question-and-answer tool called ‘DogBot’, to “determine what rules apply to their dogs based on their travel dates, where their dog is traveling from, and where their dog was vaccinated (if required).”

“The rabies virus variant carried by dogs (dog rabies) was eliminated in the United States in 2007 and CDC wants to prevent the re-introduction of dog rabies into the United States,” the agency wrote.