New Pet Import rules from CDC

[TrailerCruiser]

I'd like to take my dog from Puget Sound up to Desolation Sound in Canada over the summer months. My problem is the CDC has new import requirements going into affect August 1st. Has anyone figured out the import requirements and how to obtain the necessary paperwork to take their dog cruising? Note I'm going into Canada around the first part of July and will be returning the first part of August. What paperwork do I need and where and when can I get it?

[Montanan]

Reference:

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/brin...-august-1.html




https://inspection.canada.ca/en/impo...s-animals/pets

[Peel]

I am in the same situation. I contacted my regular vet and they said they don't do the USDA form that the CDC requires. They gave me the name of a vet in the Seattle area who does (Urban Animal), and I was quoted $750! The reason they gave was the amount of testing required by the USDA. This may prevent me and many others from sailing into Canadian waters any more.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Peel

I am in the same situation. I contacted my regular vet and they said they don't do the USDA form that the CDC requires. They gave me the name of a vet in the Seattle area who does (Urban Animal), and I was quoted $750! The reason they gave was the amount of testing required by the USDA. This may prevent me and many others from sailing into Canadian waters any more.

That's about what we paid in 2013 with vet visits - multiple needed - and USDA visit. We then were late on our cat's rabies update and had to do it again in 2017

[DoubleD]

Wow. I hadn't heard of this and have plans to sail from WA State into British Columbia several times this year. Since my wife insists I take the dog with me sailing, I now have an excuse why I can't. "Sorry dear, I can't take the dog, because if I do, he may not be allowed back home." All kidding aside, scanning through the CDC link, since Canada is not a high risk country for rabies, this doesn't seem like a big issue, unless our dog's rabies shot doesn't qualify per the CDC rules.



D2

[Peel]

Originally Posted by DoubleD

scanning through the CDC link, since Canada is not a high risk country for rabies, this doesn't seem like a big issue, unless our dog's rabies shot doesn't qualify per the CDC rules.D2

The new system is similar to the old one for going into Canada where Canada required proof of rabies vaccination to enter. The difference here is that all Canada required was a signed letter by your vet with the vaccine documentation. The CDC version requires this documentation to be certified by the USDA. The difficult part is finding a vet that can handle the USDA documents. And if it's not your regular vet, they may have to give your dog a new dose of rabies vaccine (not entirely sure on this part, and it may depend on the vets involved).

[DoubleD]

Since this is a CDC rule, I wonder if the US border patrol will even enforce? When the border opened during Covid, our local newspaper interviewed CBP regarding checking vaccine records and they stated they’re focused on preventing illegal entry and smuggling drugs etc. The three times I’ve recently driven into and back from Canada with my dog, neither side asked to see his records. When I traveled by boat with the dog last September, I had no direct contact with either border patrol, but entered via cell phone for Canada and CBP App for US. I believe CBP asked if we had rabies vac documents, but didn’t ask to see them. Hopefully a reasonable approach will be implemented for true pets.
D2

[GordMay]

As long as the dog has been in a low-risk [1], or rabies-free, country for the previous six months, it can cross the U.S. border, at any airport, seaport, or land border crossing, with just an import form [2], that can be completed online, the day of travel.

[2] CDC Dog Import Form ➥ https://cdc-786687.workflowcloud.com...7-2919d12ecc73

Instructions on how to complete the form ➥ https://www.cdc.gov/importation/medi..._-Low-risk.pdf

More about ➥ https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs...countries.html

[1] High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
Only high-risk countries are listed on the website. If the country is not listed on the website, it is considered a dog rabies-free or low-risk country.
➥ https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs...countries.html

[DoubleD]

Interesting changes to the requirements, that it appears if I'm traveling from Canada to the US a rabies vaccination is no longer required, just the import form, which doesn't ask about vaccinations. I'm assuming I still need one when traveling into Canada, so need it either way.


Local Blaine papers story on the change: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/sto...-rabies,33369?


DD

[GordMay]

New border rules for dogs were triggered by spike in fraud*, forgery cases: U.S. CDC document
* Including cases of people using Canada, to bring dogs from countries with high rates of rabies, into the U.S.
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dog...-u-s-1.7284105

[deblen]

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...es-287868.html