NEW YORK — All dogs arriving in the United States from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies, according to new government rules released Wednesday.
The new rules require vaccination of dogs who have been in countries where rabies is common. The update applies to dogs brought in by breeders or rescue groups as well as pets traveling with their U.S. owners.
“This new regulation will address the current challenges we face,” said Emily Pieracci, a rabies expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who helped write the updated regulations.
The CDC published the new rules in the Federal Register on Wednesday. They take effect on August 1, when a temporary order for 2021 expires. This order suspends the importation of dogs from more than 100 countries where rabies remains a problem.
The new rules require all dogs entering the United States to be at least 6 months old, old enough to be vaccinated if necessary and for the vaccines to take effect; have a microchip placed under the skin with a code that can be used to verify rabies vaccination; and have completed a new CDC import form.
There may be additional restrictions and requirements depending on where the dog has been in the previous six months, which may include blood tests performed at CDC-approved laboratories.
CDC regulations were last updated in 1956 and a lot has changed, Pieracci said. More people are traveling abroad with their pets, and more rescue groups and breeders have set up overseas operations to meet the demand for pets, a- she declared. Today, approximately 1 million dogs enter the United States each year.
Dogs were once common carriers of the rabies virus in the United States, but the type that normally circulates in dogs was eliminated through vaccination in the 1970s. The virus invades the central nervous system and is usually a disease fatal in animals and humans. It is most often transmitted by the bite of an infected animal. There is no cure once symptoms appear.
Four rabid dogs have been identified entering the United States since 2015, and authorities fear more could cross. CDC officials also saw an increase in incomplete or fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates and more puppies being denied entry because they were not old enough to be fully vaccinated.
A draft version of the updated regulations last year prompted a series of public comments.
Angela Passman, owner of a Dallas company that helps people move their pets internationally, supports the new rules. This can be especially tricky for families who buy or adopt a dog from abroad and then try to bring it to the United States, she said. This update means little change from how things have been handled in recent years, she said.
“It’s more work for the pet owner, but the end result is a good thing,” said Passman, a board member of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.
But Jennifer Skiff said some changes were unwarranted and too costly. She works for Animal Wellness Action, a Washington group focused on preventing animal cruelty and helping organizations import animals. She explained that these groups work with diplomats and military personnel who have difficulty meeting requirements, and that is why some owners have been forced to leave their dogs behind.
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