Travelling to the United States with your dog? Here’s what you need to know

The U.S. is implementing new rules for dogs entering the country, which means dog owners planning to cross the border from Canada will have some additional work to do.

Among other requirements, all dogs entering the U.S. — service dogs included — will need to be microchipped, at least six months old and accompanied by a new import form.

The rules are set to take effect on Aug. 1, although a grace period is being sought for Canadian travellers.

Health Minister Mark Holland said on Wednesday that he secured some concessions on the new rules being imposed by the United States.

However, the Canadian government is asking to be exempted from the new rules entirely, arguing that Canada and the U.S. are both free from dog rabies and the restrictions will hurt business and be taxing on people who live near the border. 

For now, here is what you need to know about the new rules being implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC).

Import form

Anyone bringing a dog over the border must complete a CDC Dog Import Form, which can be filled out and submitted online.

The form requires basic information about the dog as well as “a clear photograph of the dog showing its face and body,” according to the CDC website.

The website adds that dogs younger than one year should have the photograph taken within 10 days of arriving at the border. 

Other documents

Dog owners must have a Documentation of Canadian-Issued Rabies Vaccination, issued and signed by a Canadian licensed veterinarian, which includes vaccination and microchip information and certifies that the dog has been vaccinated for rabies. 

Also, dogs must have received their vaccination after having a microchip implanted, or on the same date that it was implanted — otherwise, that vaccination will not be considered valid by U.S. authorities.

“Rabies vaccinations received prior to the implantation of a microchip are considered invalid,” the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) told CBC News via email.

While it was previously announced that Canadian dogs would need certification of rabies vaccination within 30 days of travelling to the U.S., Holland said the U.S. will introduce a specific form for Canada that will allow a dog to enter and re-enter the U.S. for as long as their rabies vaccination is valid — either one or three years — as long as the vaccination was administered in a “rabies-free or low-risk” country.

Canada is on the list of countries that the CDC considers to be rabies-free or low-risk. Dogs coming from countries considered high risk by the CDC face more stringent requirements.

Canadian dogs that have visited a high-risk country in the last six months will be denied entry.

The CDC has dropped several requirements that were initially introduced, including endorsement by an official Canadian Food Inspection Agency vet and a specific International Organization for Standardization (ISO) microchip.

Any universally readable microchip will be accepted for dogs coming from Canada.

What if you don’t meet the requirements?

If you do not meet the requirements, your dog will not be allowed to enter the U.S. and will be sent back at your expense.

According to the CFIA website, there is an option to request an exemption ahead of time, which the CDC will address on a case-by-case basis. 

If your dog appears unhealthy on arrival, it may be isolated and subjected to a veterinary exam and additional testing at your expense to determine whether the dog has a contagious disease.

What if your dog is from the U.S. and heading home?

The CFIA said via email that the CDC “has specific requirements in place for U.S. dogs that will be returning to the U.S.”

It’s up to people to undertake “any necessary arrangements for returning their dog to the U.S.,” the CFIA said.

Furthermore, dogs that were vaccinated for rabies in the U.S. must get export documentation from U.S. authorities to return home.

Canadian veterinarians cannot issue such documentation for dogs vaccinated in the U.S., “unless the dog is re-vaccinated against rabies in Canada and waits six months in Canada prior to re-entering the U.S,” the CFIA said.

• What questions do you have about the new entry requirements for dogs travelling from Canada to the U.S.? Tell us in an email to ask@cbc.ca.