A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators is called on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to halt the implementation of a new rule that could have serious consequences for cross-border truckers who travel with pets.
What Is The CDC’s New Cross-Border Dog Rule?
Effective August 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin enforcing a new CDC “dog importation” requirement designed to stop the spread of rabies. The new rule will require dog owners to show documentation and meet age requirements in order to bring a dog across the border into the U.S.
According to the CDC website, a dog must meet the following requirements to be permitted to cross the border into the U.S.:
- Be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the United States
- Have an implanted International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip
- Appear healthy upon arrival
- Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt
- Have additional documentation which varies depending on where the dog has been in the 6 months before entering or returning to the United States, or if the dog has a current rabies vaccine administered in the United States
If a dog does not meet all of the new entry requirements after August 1, CBP says this “must result in the dog being denied entry and returned.”
The Canadian Trucking Alliance told Global News that 20% of cross-border truckers travel with a dog. The group estimates that the CDC rule would impact 28,000 cross-border truckers per day.
CDC Rule Is “Onerous” for Cross-Border Truckers, Senators Say
In a July 17 letter to CDC Director Mandy Cohen, a group of 14 Senators including Amy Klobuchar and Susan Collins asked the CDC to delay the dog importation rule, in part because of the trouble that it would spell for the trucking community.
“While we support the CDC’s stated goal of preventing the spread of canine rabies, the rule is overly broad and would be onerous for dog owners, breeders, truckers, and sportsmen and women who frequently cross the U.S.-Canadian border for work, veterinary care, canine events, breeder collaborations, or simply to visit friends and family,” the letter states.
“Truck drivers who travel with their dogs while carrying goods into the U.S. could also face difficulties in meeting these regulations,” the Senators noted.
You can click here to learn more about the August 1 CDC dog importation rule.