Canadian truckers worried as U.S. dog import rule deadline approaches

Effective Aug. 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will enforce new entry requirements for dogs traveling across the border to prevent the spread of rabies. All dogs must appear healthy, be microchipped, and be at least six months old, and owners must present a CDC Dog Import Form receipt upon arrival. The requirement will apply to all travelers, including those visiting for short trips.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has voiced concerns about these regulations, particularly for cross-border truck drivers who frequently travel with dogs.

According to a news release, the upcoming rule has CTA members worried about condensed timelines, burdensome compliance requirements, and potential adverse health effects that could endanger the well-being of their dogs if specific re-vaccination requirements remained in place.

CTA asks for deadline extension

“CTA recently wrote the CDC, indicating that many cross-border truck drivers travel with their pets as a companion, with some fleets estimating that upwards of 20% of their long-haul drivers travel with their dogs into the U.S. Many drivers also have questions about potential impacts on admissibility, and the lack of education around this rule prior to its introduction at the border,” the release reads.

Since the CDC has recognized Canada as a low-risk country for rabies, CTA has requested an extension of the educational enforcement period until the end of 2024 and advocated for already vaccinated dogs to be grandfathered into the new regulations, regardless of microchipping status.

“The Alliance believes this is a reasonable compromise, which will not only boost compliance, education, and awareness of this policy but will also ensure precautions are being taken to safeguard the health and well-being of the animals traveling with truck drivers who are servicing our Canada-U.S. supply chain,” said CTA’s director of policy and industry awareness programs, Lak Shoan.

CDC has introduced DogBot, an online feature to help users navigate the new requirements. The CDC Dog Import Form must be completed online for each trip. The process takes less than five minutes and can be displayed to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on a mobile device.

While the form can be filled out immediately prior to entry, it is recommended that it be filled out ahead of time to ensure it is available and complete upon arrival in case of internet failure.