Just weeks before new US rules come into effect for Canadians travelling with dogs, there appears to be a roadblock that could compromise crossing the border with your pup.
Earlier this year, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it would update its dog importation regulations beginning August 1, 2024.
The new rules apply to Canadians and travellers from other countries entering the US via airport, land border crossing, or seaport.
The new regulations require pet owners to ensure their dogs:
- Are at least six months of age
- Have an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compliant microchip
- Appear healthy upon arrival
- Have a CDC Dog Import Form Receipt
- Have additional documentation (which can vary depending on where the dog has been in the past six months before entering the US)
- Have their rabies vaccination
If travelling to the US from a low-risk rabies country such as Canada, a dog’s vet must complete the “Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States” form or other CDC-approved documentation.
These documents must be submitted to an “official government veterinarian” in the exporting country or to the USDA if the dog was vaccinated in the US. A complete list of pre-travel requirements can be found here.
However, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has taken issue with the US’s specific export document requirements.
On its website, the CFIA says it is “currently unable to provide endorsement for export documents for dogs entering the US,” and the process is being discussed further with the CDC.
CFIA
The CFIA notes that it continues to “actively work” with the CDC to develop a specific process for dogs travelling from Canada to the US.
It adds that more information will be available by mid-July and recommends that Canadian travellers with dogs continue to check its webpage for updates.
The CFIA reiterated to Daily Hive that it has been “working with the CDC to seek solutions, clarify their new requirements and highlight their impact on Canadians and our veterinary community.”
“The CFIA is currently unable to provide endorsement for export documentation for dogs entering the US because this process is being discussed with the CDC,” wrote the agency in an email, adding that more updates should be available in the coming week.
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CDC spokesperson Dave Daigle told Daily Hive that the agency is aware of concerns with the recent updates to the US dog importation rule.
“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,” wrote Daigle in his statement.
He noted that the updated rules are being implemented to protect the “US population from diseases of public health concern that can spread from dogs to people, including dog rabies, and to prevent fraudulent dog imports.”
For Canadians headed to the US before August 1, read what rules are currently in place.
With files from Nikitha Martins.