New regulations for bringing dogs into the US could leave owners in a bind

Starting Aug. 1, new CDC regulations will make crossing the border with your dog complicated and could require spending hundreds of dollars. Owners want the CDC to reconsider.

Every time Erica Rodman crosses the U.S. border to Canada, she takes her service dog, Fozzy, a half German shepherd and half Black Labrador Retriever. Rodman, 38, is a legally blind disability advocate who lives near Buffalo, New York. She depends upon Fozzy for her daily life — including frequent trips to and from Canada, part of living in a border city.

But starting Aug. 1, new regulations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mean she may no longer be able to do so if Fozzy does not meet the new criteria, disrupting a travel routine familiar to folks in such border towns as Detroit, Port Huron, and Buffalo, among others.

The upcoming rules require that all dogs entering the United States be microchipped, at least 6 months old, have a receipt for a completed Dog Import Form (which the CDC released this week), and documentation of rabies vaccination, which varies depending on where the dog was vaccinated and where it’s traveled in the past six months. This is a change from current regulations where most Americans and Canadians can enter the United States without showing proof of rabies vaccination. There are no exceptions for service or guide dogs.

„Without Fozzy, my world is very small … I don’t know if I’ll be able to cross the border anymore,“ Rodman said. Fozzy is 2 years old and already microchipped, but Rodman said that she’s concerned about the cost and time to get the paperwork required, which can be upward of $250 for the USDA-endorsed form. „That’s a lot for those with disabilities … many of whom are on a limited income.“

The new rules come out of an increased concern for dog rabies, which has been increasing worldwide. In response to the new regulations, at least one international airline, Germany-based Lufthansa, said it would no longer allow dogs aboard flights to the United States starting Aug. 1.

Rodman and other dog owners say the rules are onerous and unnecessary. „The CDC needs to reconsider this policy,“ she said.

Widespread impacts
For dog owners, getting the necessary paperwork can take months and cost hundreds of dollars. Frequent border crossers have to plan ahead and change travel plans. And Canadian dog breeders who used to sell puppies younger than 6 months across the border now have to find domestic homes for such young dogs.

Multiple members of Congress from states that border Canada have called on the CDC to reconsider the new regulations, including Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Reps. Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y., and Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y.

But some, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, welcome the regulation and believe it will protect humans and dogs alike. “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,” said Dr. Rena Carlson, AVMA president, in a statement.

Others note complications abound for dog owners trying to meet these new requirements. Stephanie Bagwell, co-owner of Somerset Veterinary Hospital in Troy, points to a few: Many dogs aren’t microchipped yet, and some that are have chips that don’t meet the capabilities set by the International Standards Organization.

“The new regulations are very confusing,” Bagwell said. Many vets are still at a loss with the new regulations, but Bagwell’s facility is trying to be proactive.

Dogs that are newly ISO-chipped will need to be revaccinated. Getting a microchip can cost $50 to $75 and can be done during a routine vet visit. But revaccinated dogs must wait at least 28 days before getting a rabies certificate completed by a vet accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bagwell said. Getting that endorsement can cost hundreds of dollars — assuming an owner can find a USDA-accredited veterinarian. In some rural areas, the nearest such vet can be hours away. In Michigan, 2,500 out of 4,561 licensed veterinarians are USDA-accredited, according to the USDA and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Post-COVID, many animal hospitals, including Bagwell’s, are already very busy. These new requirements likely will add to the backlogs.

“The process to get two of my dogs endorsed took just over two months,” said Kristi Murdock, 62, a registered veterinary technician from San Tan Valley, Arizona. Murdock said that was considered fast: “I got lucky since I knew people in the industry.”

Others aren’t so lucky.

“I don’t have an appointment with my vet before Aug. 1,” said Deborah Williams of Buffalo. During the summer, Williams, who is in her 70s, typically crosses the border multiple times a week with Sam, her Labrador, but now she doesn’t know what she’ll do.

“I want the date of the CDC regulations to be postponed,“ she said. „It’s extreme to go from not having to show a rabies certificate to this monster.“

Barbara Vannini, 66, of Troy, thinks the new rules may lead her to give up her family cottage in Canada: „Because of these new regulations, I’m thinking of selling my Ontario cottage.“ To meet the new requirements, Vannini said it will cost her $500 to $600 to get her Golden Retriever, Riley, microchipped and revaccinated and get the USDA-endorsed rabies form.

„The cottage has been in my family for generations, but the (dog issue) is becoming such a hassle and expensive. I don’t know if it’s worth it anymore.“

CDC spokesperson Dave Daigle said the agency is aware of concerns expressed by dog owners and others: „We value the feedback received from various countries, industry partners, and the public, and are actively working with federal and international partners to discuss the feedback received.“

Residents of the United States‘ northern neighbor are stuck in an even larger bind: crossing the border with a dog may become not just complicated but impossible.

Under the new regulations, Canadians who have their dogs vaccinated in Canada need a certificate endorsed by an official government vet. But the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency, which would endorse the certificate, says it cannot do so — at least not yet.

„The CFIA is currently unable to provide endorsement for export documents for dogs entering the U.S., as the process is being discussed with the CDC,“ the CFIA website states.

„The CFIA recognizes the concerns and impact that the CDC requirements have on Canadians. We have shared this information with the CDC to support the development of a more streamlined process for Canadians. The CFIA continues to actively work with the CDC to develop a specific process that will be used for dogs traveling from Canada to the U.S.“

Impact on the dog industry
For dog trainers and breeders, the new regulations could prove to be quite costly.

“I’m going to lose a couple thousand dollars from students who come over weekly from Canada,” said Linda Brady, 70, a dog trainer and owner of Canine Community Center in Oxford. Brady said the amount of paperwork is simply too much for clients.

Another issue is the 6-month minimum age requirement. It’s hard for dog breeders to keep puppies up to 6 months, and many dog trainers like to buy puppies as young as 8 weeks to start training. Because of this, many breeders that used to sell puppies across the border will no longer be able to do so.

“Normally, we place half of our puppies in United States homes, but starting Aug. 1, that won’t work out,” said Erin Lynes, 43, owner of Eromit Labrador Retrievers in British Columbia, Canada. “People who’ve been on our waiting list for two years will be very disappointed.”

Lynes said that while she understands the need to ensure dogs coming in are safe, the age requirement feels unreasonable. She’d like the CDC to consider changing the age requirement to 12 weeks, the age when puppies can start getting vaccinated for rabies in Michigan. The regulation also impacts dog rescues.

„The new regulations make it extremely difficult to rescue dogs,“ said Wilma Herrera, 55, who runs US Dog Coalition and Rescue in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. While her dog rescue normally rescues 30 to 50 dogs per year, now she’s worried she’ll have to stop.

„It’s incredibly hard to get a USDA-accredited vet, microchip, or any government-sanctioned vet in Mexico, not to mention the cost … Mexico is already rabies-free,“ she said. „This doesn’t make sense.“

In response, some dog rescues are suing the CDC over the new regulations.

„It’s a huge concern,“ said Shaynee Traska, an Alaskan musher who gives dog-sled rides in Juneau, Alaska, to tourists in the summer with her 47 dogs. To get from Juneau to her home in Fairbanks, Alaska, Traska has to cross the Canadian border. „We’re basically having to spend thousands of dollars just to get our dogs back home this fall.“

The new regulations may prevent dog sledding events such as the Can-Am Dog Sled race in Maine from taking place.

„I fear for the future of dog events, breeding, economic repercussions and everyday travel cross-border with dogs,“ said Sarah Brooks, vice president of the sled dog planning committee for Can-Am Crown International. „We need to work together to make changes.“

The new rules at a glance
For most American dog owners who have their dog vaccinated in the United States and haven’t been to a rabies high-risk country in the past six months, the new requirements to enter the United States border are as follows:

The dog appears healthy.
The dog is at least 6 months old.
The dog has a ISO-compatible microchip with documentation of the microchip number on veterinary records. The chip must be implanted before the dog is vaccinated for rabies. If the dog was not chipped yet, it must be revaccinated after the chip is implanted.
The dog has a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate endorsed by the USDA. This is more than a standard rabies certificate and requires a USDA-accredited vet to administer the rabies vaccine. Alternatively, dog owners can present a USDA-endorsed export health certificate.
The owner has a receipt of a completed Dog Import Form. The form asks for your dog’s microchip number, if it’s been to a high-risk country in the past six months, and for recent photos of your dog (for dogs under a year, the photo uploaded must be taken within 15 days of crossing the border). The CDC recommends that dog owners complete the form 2-10 days before crossing the border, although you could complete it at the border with an internet connection.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In conclusion, the new CDC regulations set to take effect on August 1 will have a significant impact on dog owners, breeders, trainers, and rescues on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. The stringent requirements for crossing the border with a dog are causing frustration, financial strain, and logistical challenges for many individuals and businesses in the dog industry. As stakeholders continue to voice their concerns and seek solutions, it remains to be seen how the CDC will address the widespread implications of these new regulations.