Demand a Change to the Dog Import Rules

Help us advocate for a family-first, data-driven approach to U.S. dog import rules. Fill out your information and send a letter to the Director of the CDC and members of Congress—your voice can help make a real impact!

Why? The current rules are extensive, complicated, and prohibitively expensive.

More than 1 million dogs enter the US every year. In 2024, the CDC implemented new rules on dog imports, leaving hundreds of families, rescue groups, reputable breeders, trainers, and military personnel stranded, jumping through bureaucratic hoops and paying thousands of dollars to private, unregulated animal care facilities.

The rules the CDC put in place in 2024:

• Are harmful to dogs: veterinarians do not recommend unnecessarily re-vaccinating a dog that has been vaccinated and who’s vaccine has been deemed valid.
• Cost families and rescue organizations thousands of dollars just to have a single dog enter the country.
• Place undue burden on airlines requiring additional paperwork traditionally reserved only for cargo shipments.
• Benefit privately owned Animal Care Facilities that are able to charge exorbitant revaccination fees.
• Cost the CDC an additional $2.8 million every year.

The real problem with these rules is they just don’t make sense!

The rules are meant to protect the US public from rabies, but according to the CDC’s own website, in the United States, more than 90% of reported cases of rabies in animals occur in wildlife – mostly in bats.

• Every year, there are around 4,000 reported cases of animal rabies in the US.
• In the last 22 years, there have been 7 reported rabies cases in dogs coming from outside the US.
• In the last 25 years, there have been zero deaths from rabies from dogs coming from outside of the US.

We must ask Congress and put pressure on the CDC to change to the dog import rules to stop hurting families and rescue groups and align with science and global best practices.

Under the current rules:

• Dogs under 6 months of age cannot enter the US.
• Dogs coming in from most countries outside of the European Union must:
  • Be vaccinated against rabies
  • Get their rabies titer at a CDC approved lab
  • Receive a government-issued health certificate
  • Enter the country at one of only 6 approved airports and be revaccinated for rabies immediately upon arrival. Ave cost $1,500 USD

Join us to advocate for fair and safe dog import laws that make sense and prioritize families and rescues. Send a letter and make your voice hear.