The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released a letter advising of a change in the rules pertaining to importation of cats and dogs into the United States.
Effective August 1, 2024, the CDC is implementing a process to standardize imports that will require that all dogs being imported into the U.S. must be 6 months of age, irrespective of where they are coming from or for what purpose.
Summary:
CDC’s letter states CDC is updating this regulation to protect the health and safety of people and animals, and to prevent the reintroduction of dog rabies to the United States. The regulation will address recent challenges with international dog importations and more closely align with the World Organisation for Animal Health’s standards for the international movement of dogs from countries determined to be a high-risk for dog rabies.
Under the new rule, all dogs must meet the following requirements for importation into the United States (including those that left the U.S. and are returning—regardless of the country they are being imported from):
- Be healthy upon arrival
- Be at least 6 months of age
- Have an ISO -compatible microchip (implanted prior to any required rabies vaccinations)
- Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The CDC Dog Import Form is an online form on CDC’s 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.
- Additional requirements will be needed for dogs imported from countries designated as high-risk for DMRVV (canine rabies). These requirements may include arriving at a port with a CDC-registered animal care facility (ACF), an appointment with an ACF prior to import, and quarantine. For more details, visit cdc.gov/dogtravel.
The new rule replaces a temporary rule that will expire on August 1, 2024. The current temporary rule, which AKC supports, restricted the import of dogs from countries designated as high risk for rabies and other contagious diseases, while also allowing for the import of younger pets from low-risk countries as personal pets not for transfer.
Unlike legislative proposals, administrative rule changes go through a period of public comment regarding changes proposed by an agency tasked with promulgating existing law. The new rule follows a period of public comment on CDC’s proposed changes governing imports of dogs and cats, which concluded in September 2023. View AKC’s comments submitted on the proposed rule.
AKC GR will continue to study the new rule change and provide additional information as appropriate.
For additional information on CDC’s new entry requirements please visit www.cdc.gov/dogtravel. If you have any questions about your own particular case, please contact CDC at cdcanimalimports@cdc.gov.