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Bringing a dog into the US? Here are the new CDC rules

By Kelly Hayes
Published  May 9, 2024 7:02am MST
Pets and Animals
FOX TV Stations

What is rabies?

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

WASHINGTON - There are new rules for all dogs coming into the U.S. from other countries in an effort to help prevent the spread of rabies. 

The new government rules, published on Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, begin on Aug. 1 – when a temporary 2021 order expires. That order suspended bringing in dogs from more than 100 countries where rabies is still a problem.

The update applies to dogs brought in by breeders or rescue groups, as well as pets traveling with their U.S. owners.

Here’s what to know:

New CDC dog import rules

FILE - A traveler holding a dog checks in for a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. Photographer: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

FILE - A traveler holding a dog checks in for a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. Photographer: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The new 2024 rules require vaccination for dogs that have been in countries where rabies is common. 

All dogs entering the U.S. must be at least 6 months old, an age where dogs are old enough to be vaccinated if required and for the shots to take effect, according to the new rules. 

They must also have a microchip placed under their skin with a code that can be used to verify rabies vaccination, and have completed a new "CDC Dog Import Form."

There may be additional restrictions and requirements based on where the dog was in the previous six months, which may include blood testing from CDC-approved labs.

Why the updated rules? 

The CDC regulations were last updated in 1956, and a lot has changed, according to Emily Pieracci, a rabies expert at the CDC who was involved in drafting the updated regulations. 

More people travel internationally with their pets, and more rescue groups and breeders have set up overseas operations to meet the demand for pets, she said.

Now, about 1 million dogs enter the U.S. each year.

Dogs were once common carriers of the rabies virus in the U.S. but the type that normally circulates in dogs was eliminated through vaccinations in the 1970s. The virus invades the central nervous system and is usually a fatal disease in animals and humans. It’s most commonly spread through a bite from an infected animal. There is no cure for it once symptoms begin.

Four rabid dogs have been identified entering the U.S. since 2015, and officials worried more might get through. 

CDC officials also were seeing an increase of incomplete or fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates and more puppies denied entry because they weren't old enough to be fully vaccinated.

What do animal experts think about the new dog import rules? 

A draft version of the updated regulations last year drew a range of public comments.

Angela Passman, owner of a Dallas company that helps people move their pets internationally, supports the new rules. 

It can be especially tricky for families that buy or adopt a dog while overseas and then try to bring it to the U.S., Passman said. The update means little change from how things have been handled in recent years, she said.

"It’s more work for the pet owner, but the end result is a good thing," said Passman, who is a board member for the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.

But Jennifer Skiff said some of the changes are unwarranted and too costly. She works for Animal Wellness Action, a Washington group focused on preventing animal cruelty that helps organizations import animals. 

Skiff said those groups work with diplomats and military personnel who have had trouble meeting requirements, and was a reason some owners were forced to leave their dogs behind.

Meanwhile, the American Veterinary Medical Association told FOX Television Stations that it supports the CDC’s updated rules. 

"The AVMA continues to support the CDC’s efforts to improve dog importation standards and is pleased to see the implementation of this new rule that will help protect public health and positively impact canine health and welfare," AVMA President Dr. Rena Carlson said in a statement. 

This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed.