“Doggie Passports” What you need to know about New Rules for Dogs Entering the United States

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To prevent the spread of dog-borne rabies in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) has announced new requirements for dogs entering the United States that will take effect on August 1, 2024. Even though Canada is listed as a country which is dog rabies-free or low risk by the CDC, new requirements will still be implemented that will greatly affect Canadian dogs and their owners who wish to travel stateside. The new requirements essentially amount to a “Doggie Passport”, so you should expect delays at the border as US border officials adjudicate on these new requirements.

We’ve summarized these requirements below. Please keep in mind that these requirements apply only to dogs that have been in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries for the 6 months, such as Canada, prior to entry to the United States. These rules apply to Service Dogs as well as to Americans returning to the United States with their dogs after visiting these countries, including Canada.

  • Must be at least 6 months old;
  • Must be microchipped;
  • CDC Dog Import Form – Must be completed and the receipt provided to airline officials and/or United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officials upon entry to the United States;
  • Option 1
    • Completion of the Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States form; and
      • This form is valid for 30 days after it is issued.
      • It is valid for a single entry if it does not contain information about rabies vaccination.
      • It is valid for multiple entries if it contains information about rabies vaccination, for the duration that the rabies vaccination is valid (usually 1 to 3 years).
    • Veterinary records (including microchip number) for the previous 6 months.
  • Option 2
  • Option 3
    • Foreign export certificate which includes the dog’s age and microchip number that has been endorsed by the dog’s official veterinarian; and
      • This form is valid for 30 days after it is issued.
      • It is valid for a single entry.
    • Veterinary records (including microchip number) for the previous 6 months.

The Canadian government is advocating for a blanket exemption from these requirements for Canadian dogs, but as of now, come August 1, 2024, these requirements are on track to being implemented.  The Government is also hoping the US authorities will at least offer Canadians a grace period of a few months before the law is enforced, so that dog owners who are not compliant will not be turned back at the border, but instead given a waring to comply.

The requirements around entry and return to the United States will vary depending on where the dog has been in the last 6-months, especially if the dog has been in a high-risk country or if the dog has a foreign or US administered rabies vaccine. As such, travellers are encouraged to check CDC’s website (see link below) to avoid any surprises at the border https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/enter-the-us.html#cdc_generic_section_3-requirements-for-foreign-vaccinated-dogs-that-have-been-in-a-country-with-high-risk-of-dog-rabies-within-6-months-before-entry

The new requirement will certainly cause additional delays at the U.S. Canada land borders, as border officials get up to speed with the new requirements.

At CILF, we will continue to keep track of developments in the United States that may affect Canadians and their pets at the border.