Sponsored by Starwood Pet Travel
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines regarding the importation of dogs into the United States, aimed at enhancing public health safety and animal welfare standards. These updated regulations, effective 1 August 2024, reflect the CDC’s commitment to preventing the spread of infectious diseases while ensuring the humane treatment of animals entering the country. The import requirements for cats have remained unchanged, so this only applies to dogs.
Under the revised guidelines, all dogs imported into the United States must meet strict health and document requirements. The requirements will vary slightly depending on where the dog has been residing in the last six months prior to travel.
Major Changes
All dogs coming into the United States must:
- Be at least 6 months old at the time of arrival
- Have an ISO-compatible microchip implanted prior to the rabies vaccination
- Appear healthy upon arrival
- Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt
There are additional requirements based on where the dog has been living in the last six months and where the last rabies vaccination was administered. These are broken out by rabies-free or controlled countries and countries that are at high risk for rabies. A list of countries considered high risk for rabies can be found here. Any country not included in this list is considered rabies-free or rabies-controlled.
Dogs coming from high-risk rabies countries will be required to spend 28 days in quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility if they do not complete the below rabies vaccination and rabies titer blood test requirements:
- Have a valid (unexpired) rabies vaccination administered.
- If the vaccination was administered in the U.S., then a rabies titer test will not be required.
- If the vaccination was administered outside the U.S., in a rabies-risk country, then a rabies titer test will be required in order to avoid quarantine.
- Have a rabies vaccination certification form completed (there are several forms based on where the vaccination was administered).
- Have a rabies titer test completed at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before entering the U.S.
- The blood sample must be sent to a CDC-approved laboratory.
- The rabies titer test is valid for the life of the dog as long as the rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse (expire). If there is a lapse, then a new rabies titer test will be required at least 30 days after the new vaccination is administered.
- Have a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility for an exam, verification of all documents, and a new rabies vaccination.
- Must arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility and this must be listed on the CDC Dog Import Form.
Dogs coming from countries considered rabies-free or rabies-controlled will not be required to spend time in quarantine but will need to meet the below requirements depending on where the last rabies vaccination was administered.
- A valid (unexpired) rabies vaccination.
- A rabies vaccination certification form (there are several forms based on where the vaccination was administered).
- Certification of dog arriving from dog-maintained rabies virus variant (DMRVV)-free or low-risk country into the United States form.
- An export health certificate that has been endorsed by an official veterinarian in the exporting country.
- Must be issued within 30 days prior to arrival, but many airlines require a health certificate issued within 10 days prior to travel.
- Veterinary records for the previous six months to show where the pet has been residing.
- Arrive at the location listed on the CDC Dog Import Form receipt. (It can be any airport, land border crossing, or seaport.)
Tips and Resources
Starwood encourages dog owners to work closely with a U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited veterinarian if they are leaving the U.S. and may possibly be moving back in the future. It is much easier to re-import a dog that has had their last valid rabies vaccination in the U.S.
We also recommend having a rabies titer test completed either prior to export from the U.S. or upon arrival if you are moving to a high-risk rabies country and may possibly be moving back to the United States in the future. Keep in mind that you must also keep the rabies vaccination consistently up to date or else the titer test will no longer be valid and a new one will be required.
For more information on the CDC’s updated guidelines for importing dogs, including specific requirements and exemptions, please click here.
For a downloadable PDF outlining these requirements, please click here.
The forms required for dog imports can be found here.
About Starwood Pet Travel
Starwood Pet Travel provides global pet transport services for clients relocating domestically and internationally. With our vast experience and a trusted network of global partners, we’re dedicated to ensuring every pet’s relocation is as seamless and worry-free as possible. By focusing on the finer details of their journey and customizing our offerings to align with each client’s unique requirements, we provide a personalized experience every step of the way.