Travel is part of our everyday lives and that means taking our pets with us wherever we go. As anyone who has travelled with a pet can tell you, the rules for importing dogs to the USA can feel overwhelming.

If you get them wrong, your animal might end up in quarantine or worse, in some countries they kill them. 

That’s not to say that we can’t or shouldn’t travel with our animals. Just make sure you know the rules and that you’ve checked them with the relevant governing body. 

For the US, that means following the CDC’s rules. 

The New Import Rules for USA Dogs

One of the biggest changes in the new CDC rules for importing dogs to the USA that come into effect on the 1 August 2024 is that dogs must be at least 6 months old.

As you can imagine, that tends to impact importers who want to start training dogs for competitions. 

The other important rule to note is that the rabies titer test must be conducted with a CDC certified laboratory. As these don’t exist in every country, dog owners have to ship their animals’ samples to a lab in another country which of course adds cost. 

It’s worth noting that the main driver behind the CDC’s change in import rules for USA dogs is the increase in fake paperwork, as reported by the American Kennel Club. The result is that there have been more reported cases of rabies which is a devastating disease both for animals and humans. 

Other rules for importing dogs to the USA to look out for:

• All dogs must have an ISO-certified microchip – if you’re unsure, you can call your vet to check on the system where your microchip was manufactured.

• Ensure you have the CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt – the CDC site also recommends using their dogbot to ensure you follow the right process.

• Most importantly, your dog must appear healthy although, if you want to do things properly, it’s a good idea to do a full check up before flying. This is particularly important for senior dogs and it’s always wise to do an echocardiogram to check their heart. 

And if you have a senior cat, why not check out our top tips for caring for them? 

Just like for humans, the risk of flying increases with age. As you can see from this Harvard article on the unfriendly skies, some airlines are researching altering the cabin pressure to reduce risk to elderly people but dogs don’t get this type of support when travelling in the cargo hold. 

How Can We Improve the Import Process?

The rules for importing dogs to the USA will appear tough. Interestingly, in their report, the American Kennel Club feels that the rules are unfair to those who do follow them and will make little impact on those groups who falsify papers. 

Whether you agree with the rules or not, if you want safe travel for your dogs, you will have to comply. 

Perhaps another question is how we can accept treating our animals as if they were objects and putting them into the cargo with the luggage. The last time I checked, my dog was not a suitcase. 

Of course, it isn’t easy managing dogs and people but a tweak in logistics and some clever marketing is more than do-able. We will still have to do the paperwork to follow the rules for importing dogs to the USA but at least our animals will be safe from fear, injury and death.

What can you do to ensure safe travel for your animals:

• Do a full check up with your vet before travelling to ensure there are no hidden diseases in their blood or issues with their lungs and heart.

• Start the process early because there is a waiting period required between drawing blood for the rabies titer test and when the dog can actually fly.

• Vaccinate your animals as early as possible. There is a huge debate about vaccinations but overall, they save lives, including for animals. 

Parting Thoughts on the Rules for Importing Dogs to the USA

Whether you’re a professional in the animal industry or simply an individual travelling with your dogs, there are rules for importing dogs to the USA that can’t be ignored. 

Be especially mindful of the extra requirements starting on the 1 August 2024. 

Make sure you use the CDC site as your main source of information and if in doubt, you can message or call them for support. 

Finally, let’s not forget that flying does put a toll on the body which is why it’s also important to do a full check up at the vet before your animal flies. 

The rules are written to protect humans from rabies which is why a check up is not part of the regulations but if you want to give your animal the best chance for a safe flight, a check up never hurts. 

Everyone can then rest at ease that they’ve done what they can.