Press Releases

Congressman Kennedy Introduces Bill to Permanently Pause New CDC Rule on Dogs Crossing Border from Canada

Legislation Would Roll Back Overly Burdensome CDC Rule Regarding Dogs Crossing The US-Canada Border

Buffalo, NY, August 16, 2024

Today, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) introduced the Border-Crossing and Re-Entry for K9s Act to permanently pause the new rule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that mandated overly burdensome requirements for dog-owners crossing the U.S.-Canada border. The new rule took effect August 1.

“For border communities like ours, the CDC’s ill-planned pet travel rule is an unacceptable burden to people and families traveling with their canine companions,” Congressman Kennedy said. “While the CDC has already walked back some of its proposed rules, my bill will finish the job to provide peace of mind to pet owners and keep processing time down at the border. As the U.S. and Canada are dog-rabies free, I urge House leadership to put this legislation on the House floor so we can quit chasing our tail to avoid a nonexistent threat and instead prioritize dog owners and our region’s economy.”

The Border-Crossing and Re-Entry for K9s Act would permanently pause the CDC from implementing their August 1, 2024 Dog Importation Rule for pet-owners and dogs traveling from low-risk countries. To view the bill text, click here.

Specifically, the bill will:

Eliminate Burden for Travelers from Low-Risk Countries: Travelers with dogs that have not been in a high-risk country in the past six months would not be required to present rabies vaccination documentation.
Eliminate the CDC Dog Import Form: Dogs that have not been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months, or since birth if the dog is under six months of age, would not be required to submit a CDC Dog Import Form.
Allow Dogs Younger Than Six Months to Cross the Border: Dogs that are under six months of age that have not been in a high-risk country would be allowed to enter the United States through ports of entry.
Continue Safeguarding Against the Spread of Dog-Rabies: Travelers with dogs would be required to provide a written or verbal statement that dogs have not been in a high-risk country within the past 6 months or since birth if the dog is under 6 months of age.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

In May, the CDC announced new rulemaking that (1) requires dogs to appear in good health, (2) have a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorsed Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, (3) be at least 6 months old, (4) have a ISO microchip, and (5) have a completed CDC dog import form for each crossing.

In response, Congressman Kennedy sent a letter to the CDC expressing concern that the new rule would place an undue burden on dog-owners in border communities like Western New York. In July, Kennedy joined a bipartisan letter urging the CDC to pause the new rule, which was set to take effect August 1.

In July, following push from lawmakers, the CDC announced changes to the rule that would reverse certain requirements. Now in effect, the new rule mandates that dogs be at least six months old, have a microchip, and have a CDC dog import form that is valid for six months.

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