By: AVMA News
Are you prepared for the new federal importation regulations that take effect August 1 for all dogs entering and re-entering the United States? A new AVMA resource breaks down the most common questions to help you assist clients.
What are the new requirements?
The new requirements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aim to help protect animal and public health and dog welfare. The country is currently free of canine rabies—the dog-mediated variant of the rabies virus—and the CDC wants to keep it that way.
Beginning August 1, all dogs entering or re-entering the country must meet all of the following requirements:
– Be healthy
– Be at least 6 months old
– Have an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip (implanted prior to the required rabies vaccination)
– Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt
– Have government-endorsed documentation of their vaccine and/or travel history
Dogs in certain situations—for example, foreign-vaccinated dogs coming from countries at high risk for canine rabies—face additional requirements for entry.
The new requirements apply at all ports of entry: land, air, and sea. They depend on where the dog was vaccinated against rabies, where it has been in the 6 months before U.S. entry or re-entry, and which forms of documentation the importer has chosen to provide.
While responsibility for complying with the new rules falls on those importing the dogs, veterinarians have an important role to play by helping clients fulfill these requirements. For U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited veterinarians, this includes completing and certifying the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form.
Get Answers to Your Questions
The AVMA is collaborating with the CDC and USDA to help veterinarians prepare for and understand the changes. The new AVMA FAQ resource answers common questions about the new importation requirements—including the rationale behind them.
Access the recorded webinar, hosted by CDC officials on the new rules for USDA-accredited veterinarians.