America introduces new border rules for dogs prompted by increase in fraud and forgery

It’s no secret that many countries around the world have stringent entry rules at the border, and these can apply to animals, too.

In May, the US took Canada by surprise with new rules for dogs entering the country at the border, often in one of the best dog travel crates , and it has been revealed that the new regulations came into place due to a “dramatic increase” in fraud and falsified documents.

CBC News obtained a notice from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which explains the reasoning behind the decision – including that people are using Canada to bring dogs from countries with high rates of rabies into the US.

Dr. Tim Arthur, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, said, "I think it would be very helpful for Canada to tighten up our border about dogs coming in from countries that have canine variant rabies.”

Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has explained that it brought in new measures to stop the commercial importation of dogs from countries with high levels of rabies in 2022, and said it "continues to explore options to further strengthen Canada's import requirements for dogs."

The new requirements came into force last week, on Aug 1, and apply to anyone bringing their dogs with them to the US as well as Americans returning to the country with their dogs. After discussions between the US and Canada, there is a nine-month grace period for countries with low rates of rabies, but dogs will have to be at least six months old, microchipped, and have spent the last six months in a low-rabies country.

According to the notice from the CDC and HHS, the new rules had been in the works for at least a year, with the risk of rabies being re-introduced into the US on the rise. This is partly down to dogs being imported from other countries for profit and by animal rescue organizations worldwide.

The CDC has also said it’s seen an increase in people falsifying the paperwork that has come with the dogs. It said, “In 2020, CDC observed a 52-per cent increase in the number of dogs that were ineligible for admission due to falsified or fraudulent documentation as compared to 2018 and 2019.

“CDC has documented numerous importations every year in which flight parents transport dogs for the purpose of resale, adoption, or transfer of ownership that do not meet CDC's entry requirement.

“These flight parents often claim the dogs are their personal pets to avoid US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Care entry requirements and potential tariffs or fees under CBP regulations. Even when well-meaning, these importers jeopardize public health, as many of them do not know the history of the animals they are transporting."

For more about rabies, which sees only one to three reported cases in the US each year, you can find the answer to ‘ How often do dogs need rabies shots? ’ here.