Although an economic giant, the US seems weary of rabies. The virus has spread to all 49 states except Hawaii, probably because it's not a continental state. Around 60,000 Americans get PEP due to rabies exposure. The good news is that 90% of the cases occur in wildlife.
However, dogs are a whole new threat. They're human close friends, and once infected, it's almost sure the owner will get infected. That's why the US government intensified the fight against rabies and eliminated the dog rabies variant in 2007.
But in no way is the government ready to deal with an outbreak of rabies pandemic, a lesson it learnt from the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. So, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came up with serious requirements for dogs entering the borders.
It's an update to the existing dog importation regulation. The update was released on May 8, 2024, meant to take effect from August 1, 2024. The aim of the new regulations is to remove the temporary suspension on dog importation from high-risk countries. But since Canada is not a high-risk country, why do Canadian dog owners find themselves in the center of these burdensome regulations?
Relief as the US Drops Burdensome Paperwork for Dogs Entering From Canada
Canada is a low-risk country, which means there have been minimal reported cases of rabies. It falls under the same category of low-risk as the US itself. Now, going back to June 14, 2021, when COVID-19 was the leading cause of death in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a suspension of dog importation from high-risk rabies countries.
This suspension didn't affect Canada, a low-risk country. However, the new CDC update, which was meant to take effect on August 1, 2024, aimed to remove the temporary suspension enacted in 2021. The new rules apply to all countries, including Canada.
In fact, the rules apply even to Americans who travel to Canada with their furry friends and are now returning home. Fortunately, after Canada's health minister engaged with his US counterpart, some of the new rules were dropped. Before we dive into the revised rules that owners still need to adhere to, let's first see the dropped requirements.
- The dog owner needed to carry two forms. The first form is still in place, and we'll cover it in the revised rules. The second form was dropped. This form was meant to certify the dog's health and vaccination status, such as rabies vaccination. This form needed to be signed by a vet within 30 days of travel.
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency needed to certify the vet's validation on the above form.
- The dog needed to be microchipped with a specific type of microchip.
- The form needed to have pictures of the dog's teeth, and the photos were to be confirmed by the officials upon arrival.
The Revised Requirements
As you can tell, these are hard rules. The Canadian health minister, Mark Holland, protested these regulations, claiming that the rules are time-consuming for border officers and cost-ineffective for the Canadian government.
Considering that all dogs in Canada are vaccinated against rabies, it makes no sense to have vets validate the forms. In an engagement with his US counterpart, the health minister requested a complete exemption of these new rules for Canada.
However, Canada was given a nine-month grace period instead of a complete exemption. That means dog owners can enter the US from Canada without the full paperwork. These are the revised requirements dog owners still need to adhere to.
Dog Needs to Be 6 Months or Older
Although the CDC website doesn't clarify why dogs need to be 6 months or older before entering the US, we believe it has to do with rabies vaccinations. Usually, a puppy receives the first rabies vaccination when it's 12 to 16 weeks old.
That's the primary vaccination. It then receives a booster vaccination within one year after the first vaccination. The dog then receives subsequent vaccinations yearly or after three years depending on the type of vaccine administered.
So, by setting the age at 6 months, it means dogs entering the US have already received the primary vaccination. But, anyhow, we don't understand why the CDC would allow puppies less than 6 months old to go to other countries, but aren't willing to let them return until they're 6 months old.
Dog Must Look Healthy
The Dog Must Look Healthy requirement is as straightforward and subjective as it sounds. It's the general assessment of the dog's overall health condition conducted by the US Customs and Border Protection officers.
We're not certain on what the officers use to gauge the dog's look of health, but here are some signs of a healthy dog.
- A body temperature ranging between 100-102.5 degrees Fahrenheit
- Moist nose
- Pink ears that are generally clean
- Bright and clear eyes without discharges
- Supple and smooth skin
- A normal breathing rate of about 15 to 30 per minute. Tachypnoea and dyspnoea are bad signs.
All in all, we hope you'll find a customs officer in a good mood who won't just look at you and decide your dog is unhealthy.
Dog Must Have Been in Low-Risk or Rabies-Free Country for the Last 6 Months
For a dog to be considered to be in a rabies-free or low-risk country, it must have lived in that country for at least six months before entry into the US.
That is a wise move because it prevents dog owners from passing through the low-risk and rabies-free countries before entering the US just to take advantage of the lenient measures.
For instance, if a person flies from Brazil, a high-risk country, decides to stay in Canada for two weeks, and then proceeds to the US, his dog will still be considered to be from that high-risk country.
Dog Must Have an ISO Certified Microchip
The dog needs to have a microchip for easy and secure identification. To make sure that dogs from different countries meet the set industry standards for microchips, the microchip must be ISO certified.
That way, the microchip is recognized by vets and animal shelters worldwide and can be read by a universal chip scanner. However, it doesn't need to be a specific type as the original rules had mentioned.
You Need to Fill the CDC Dog Import Form
We talked about two forms. The first form is the CDC dog import form that shows the dog's basic information and travel plans. You fill this form online, you receive a receipt via email, which you download and show it to Customs and Border Protection officials.
Conclusion
The exemptions are on the basis of a grace period, but the CDC posted about the revised rules without indicating whether the revision is only for the grace period. So, we don't know whether all the rules will be reinstated after the grace period or not. The best thing dog owners can do is to remain updated on the unfolding.