CDC announces strict restrictions for dogs traveling to the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new restrictions on dogs traveling in the United States on Wednesday, which some say will make it more difficult for families returning to the country with their pets or adopting pets abroad.

The new regulations, which take effect August 1, ban all dogs younger than six months from entering the United States. Dogs over six months old must prove that they have not been in a country identified as having a high risk of rabies. Without proof, the dog risks potential quarantine. Dogs must also be microchipped.

The stricter restrictions aim “to protect the health and safety of people and animals by ensuring that any dog arriving in the United States is healthy and does not pose a risk to our communities,” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday. Press release.

The United States eliminated rabies in 2007 and the new rules aim to prevent the reintroduction of the viral disease, transmitted by bites. The agency has identified 131 countries at high risk of rabies as of August 2023.

The CDC also said it had seen “recent issues with international dog imports,” such as fraudulent documentation or dogs kept in unsafe conditions.

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However, some say the restrictions will have a negative impact on families and those wishing to rescue pets abroad from legitimate organizations, as it can be “particularly difficult” to provide proof of where is a dog,” according to the Humane Society Legislative Fund in a press release issued Wednesday. “Far fewer dogs will be able to find loving homes in the United States,” the statement said.

“The CDC’s job is to maintain public health, but these new requirements could unnecessarily delay Americans – including members of the government and military families – from returning to the United States with their pets, creating a large distressing and dislocating families in the process,” Tracie said. Letterman, vice president of federal affairs for the Humane Society Legislative Fund, in a statement released in the release.

Airlines may also struggle to implement the new restrictions.