Pulse - July 2024 - 15

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
New CDC Documentation
Requirements for US
Dog Imports
Is your canine patient entering the United States? Soon
they'll need more than just a health certificate.
Here's what you need to know.
Courtesy of AAHA
T
he temporary suspension of the import
of dogs from high-risk rabies areas,
instituted by the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) on July 14, 2021, will expire on
July 31, 2024. Starting on August 1, the CDC
will require all dogs entering the United
States to have a Dog Import Form completed
by their owners and filed prior to
arrival in the US. Additional documentation
will depend on the country in which
the dog was vaccinated for rabies and the
countries in which the dog has been prior
to travel to the US.
This update aims to prevent the reintroduction of dog
rabies into the United States and is also in response to challenges
with " fraudulent vaccine documentation and unsafe
conditions for dogs at ports of entry, " said Emily Pieracci,
DVM, MPH, DACVPM, lead for the Zoonoses Prevention
and Import Regulations Team at the CDC.
These changes only affect dogs, with no new requirements
for cats or any other species.
Changes that affect all dogs
* All dogs must be at least six months old to enter the US,
even if they are coming from a rabies-free country.
* All dogs must be microchipped, regardless of their country
of origin.
* All importers (including dog owners returning with their
dog to the US from an international trip) must submit a
CDC Dog Import Form (available on CDC's website starting
July 15, 2024) prior to entering the US with their dog.
CDC recommends printing a copy of the Dog Import Form
receipt and traveling with at least two copies of it.
Importers and dog owners can submit the Dog Import Form
electronically; this action will automatically generate a receipt
within minutes of submission. There is no fee associated with
it. Airlines will be required to verify the presence of a CDC
Dog Import Form for each dog boarding a flight to the US.
PULSE
JULY 2024
Requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs
The additional requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs vary
based on the countries in which they have spent time in the
six months before entering the US.
All dogs vaccinated for rabies outside of the US who have
spent any time in a country designated as high risk for rabies
within the six months preceding import to the US: must have
a completed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and
Microchip form and must present at a port with a CDC-registered
animal care facility (with a reservation) and undergo a
physical exam, revaccination, and complete a 28-day quarantine
if they do not have proof of an adequate rabies titer from
a CDC-approved laboratory. The blood sample for the rabies
titer must have been drawn at least 30 days after the dog's first
valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before they plan to
enter the US.
Dogs vaccinated for rabies outside of the US who have
not spent any time in a country designated to be high risk
for rabies within the six months preceding travel to the US
must have one of the following combinations: a Certification
of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country
into the United States form and their veterinary records
(including microchip number) from the last six months OR
a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip
and a valid rabies titer or veterinary records (including microchip)
from the last six months OR a foreign export certificate
endorsed by an official veterinarian (that includes the dog's
age and microchip) and veterinary records from the past six
months. Any documents not written in English must have a
certified English translation.
Requirements for US-vaccinated dogs
Dogs who leave the US for any reason are still considered an
import when they return to the US, said Pieracci.
However, dogs who were vaccinated for rabies in the US and
have traveled outside the country with their owners have considerably
different requirements than foreign-vaccinated dogs.
US-vaccinated dogs will not be required to have a rabies
titer performed; they will not need to be held for a quarantine
upon reentry.
15
Pulse - July 2024

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