The United States is easing its requirements for Canadian canines crossing the border after being harshly criticized by Ottawa, veterinary associations, and the tourism industry.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) previously mandated that people heading stateside with their dogs would need to fill out two forms, including one signed by a veterinarian, as of Aug. 1.
Now, dog owners from Canada and other countries at a low risk for canine rabies will be able to cross the border with their pet as long as an import form is completed online, the agency said in a July 22
press release, adding that dogs still need to be microchipped and at least six months old.
“To provide greater flexibility to the requirements for dogs coming from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries … dogs that have spent the prior six months only in dog rabies-free or low-risk rabies countries will be able to enter the United States with a
CDC Import Form online submission receipt as acceptable documentation,” the CDC said.
The receipt for the filled-in form can be shown to airlines and border officials as a printed copy or by phone and will be good for six months from the date of issuance, the agency said. The same form can also be used for multiple entries.
Canadian Health Minister Mark Holland
publicly criticized the CDC’s planned changes last week, saying that the government was “surprised and blindsided” by the rabies vaccination requirements.
He said the rules didn’t “make sense” because Canada isn’t a source country for canine rabies, adding he was pushing the CDC for an exemption.
The CDC had already removed its requirement that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency verify vaccine certificates for dogs and eased its ISO-compatible microchip mandate, but Mr. Holland said it wasn’t enough.
A Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
press release last week said the original rules could “exacerbate an already overwhelming workload for many veterinarians,” adding that vets across the country are already at risk of “burnout.”
The Frontier Duty Free Association, which represents duty-free shops at 32 land border crossings, was also urging the American officials to reconsider.
“This will once again disproportionately impact border communities and the tourism industry, which is still recovering from a prolonged border closure,” association executive director Barbara Barrett said last week.
The CDC said the rule change was based on feedback from the public, the travel industry, and various governments. Aside from Canada, most of Europe is
considered rabies-free or low risk as is Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
The agency will continue to require additional documents for
more than 100 countries that are deemed high-risk for canine rabies.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
