SPIRIT’S GLOBAL NEWS & UPDATES

Entry Requirements For Dogs Travelling into the U.S. from Canada.

August 1, 2024 – The only required documentation for dogs entering or returning to the United States that have been ‘only’ in a dog rabies-free or low-risk rabies country (Canada is a low-risk country) in the past 6 months is the CDC Dog Import Form. Complete the form online, it is completely free of charge and a receipt will be e-mailed to you upon submission of the form. You can print the receipt or show it on your phone when you travel. The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the United States multiple times within six months from the date of issuance. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for additional dogs or future entries after six months. In addition to the Dog Import Form, all Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival, be at least 6 months of age at time of entry OR return to the U.S and have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them. Make sure you have your microchip scanned prior to completing the form to ensure the chip can be read on the scanner and to be sure you have the correct number written on the form. Dogs that have been ‘only’ in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the past 6 months can enter the U.S. at any airport, seaport, or land border crossing. The above information applies to vaccinated dogs travelling by land, air and sea.

This includes crossing the Canada/U.S. border with your dog in a vehicle.

You can find the CDC Dog Import Form and instructions on the following CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/rabies-free-low-risk-countries.html#print

Further Important Notes:

Make sure your Dog is microchipped before the Rabies Vaccination, AND..be sure the Rabies Vaccination does not expire during your travel period. This includes dogs visiting Canada from other countries.

Your dog will NOT be allowed to enter the U.S. if they are NOT vaccinated against rabies and have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the past 6 months.

Dogs from Canada that have also been in a country at high-risk for dog rabies in the 6 months before travelling to the U.S.
At this time, dogs from Canada that have also been in a country at high-risk for dog rabies ‘during’ the 6 months before travelling to the U.S. are NOT eligible to enter the U.S. directly from Canada. At this time, the dog must either wait 6 months in Canada prior to entering the U.S. or enter the U.S. directly from the country at high-risk for dog rabies. The CFIA is working with the CDC to develop a process and documents needed for this situation.

Dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies travelling to the U.S.
Dogs from a country at high-risk for dog rabies are not eligible to enter the U.S. directly from Canada. In this situation, the dog must either wait 6 months in Canada or enter the U.S. directly from the country at high-risk for dog rabies.

Dogs that do not meet the CDC’s requirements
If the dog does not meet the CDC’s requirements, the dog may not be allowed to enter the U.S. For more information please refer to the CFIA webpage: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/exports/pets/dogs-usa

FOR VACCINATED DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN IN HIGH-RISK RABIES COUNTRIES WITHIN PAST 6 MONTHS:

There are 2 documents required if your dog was vaccinated against rabies in the U.S. and has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the 6 months before entering or returning to the U.S.

1. The CDC Dog Import Form – receipt: You complete this form online. It is FREE and will only take a few minutes if you have the required information available. You will also need to upload a recent photo of your dog  (jpg, png, gif files only) showing its face and body. Dogs under one year old should have their photograph taken within 15 days before travel to the U.S. In addition to the Dog Import Form – receipt, all Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival, be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the U.S and have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them. Make sure to enter your dog’s microchip number accurately into this form. You can typically find this number on a dog’s veterinary records and/or have your Veterinarian scan your dog’s microchip to ensure you have the correct number on the form.

2. A Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form or a USDA-endorsed export health certificate: These forms are filled out by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Accredited Veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA.

Please refer to the following CDC Webpage for more information: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/us-vaccinated-high-risk-countries.html

Check With Airlines Before Travel

Some Airlines such as KLM, have strict policies and have STOPPED accepting Commercial AND Non-Commercial Pet Imports from high-risk for dog rabies countries on their flights. This is in response to the CFIA Ban on dog commercial imports from countries at high-risk for dog rabies. Other airlines may only allow pets to travel via cargo and/or require additional documentation. ALWAYS check with each individual Airline to be certain they will accept your dog before making any travel arrangements.

Further, Dogs arriving into the U.S. from high-risk for dog rabies countries must fly into one of six approved U.S. airports:  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Miami International Airport (MIA), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Countries – High-Risk for Rabies:

At the current time, Canada has prohibited/banned all commercial (commercial dogs include dogs intended for purposes such as being given/transferred to another person, resale, adoption-shelters/rescues, fostering, breeding, show or exhibition) imports from entering Canada, from high-risk for dog rabies countries, this list has been updated, August 1st, 2024. Please refer to the following CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) webpage for a complete list of these countries: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/rabies/countries-high-risk-dog

Rabies Free & Low Risk For Rabies Countries:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recognizes the following countries as rabies-free for domestic cats and dogs: Australia, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, and United Kingdom/Scotland/Northern Ireland. Both Canada and the U.S are considered low-risk for dog rabies countries. Should a country NOT be on the below list, it is currently considered low-risk for dog rabies, however, the list can change frequently so best to always check before arranging travel. https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/high-risk-countries.html

What Dogs Are ‘Woofing’ About..

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