What is CDC? Everything you Need to Know About Bringing your dog to the U.S

As is the case with each country worldwide, the United States of America has their own department which deals with the import and export of animals. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) regulates the entry of pets into the U.S. and is responsible for issuing guidelines and safeguards to protect the country.

 As of August 1, 2024, there are new steps to take if you wish to bring your dog to the U.S. The steps and procedures depend on where you live and where your dog has been over the last 6 months, so it is important to familiarize yourself with them if you plan on travelling to the U.S. with your dog. Here is everything you need to know about the CDC. 

What is the CDC? 

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is a service organization that exists to prevent the entry of infectious diseases into the U.S. The CDC prevents the re-introduction of dog rabies into the U.S, since rabies is a highly infectious viral infection. The U.S. is a rabies free country, so preventing the entry of infected dogs is paramount for them. This is also why you often require a CDC import permit before pet travel to the U.S.   

Recent Changes Implemented 

The CDC has simplified the process and requirements for dogs who arrive at the U.S. from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries. For dogs that have only been in dog rabies-free or low-rabies countries over the last 6 months, the only form required is the CDC Dog Import Form, which is relatively easy to complete. 
However, since India is a high-rabies country, there are a different set of procedures and requirements for dogs travelling to the U.S. 

Entry Requirements for U.S: Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries

Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies within the last 6 months must meet several requirements for entry, listed below. 

Overview of Entry requirements

• The CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You complete this form online. It will only take a few minutes if you have the required information available.
• A Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form. This form is filled out by your veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian.
• If not included in the form above, you will also need a valid rabies serology titer report from a CDC-approved laboratory.
• Dogs must have a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility. If you do not have a valid rabies serology titer, this must include a 28-day quarantine reservation.
• Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them. The microchip must be implanted before getting the rabies vaccine, or else the vaccine will be invalid. The microchip number must be included on all required forms and supporting documents.
• Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival.
• Dogs must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry.

CDC Dog Import Form

The CDC dog import form can be completed online. A receipt will be emailed to you upon submission of the form. You can print the receipt or show it on your phone whenever required.

This form should be completed by the person importing (bringing) the dog into the United States (the importer, owner, or shipper). If the person importing the dog has difficulty completing this form such as due to a disability, this form may be filled out by someone else acting on behalf of the importer.

If the dog is travelling via air, you must present the receipt to the airline before boarding. You must also retain the receipt and be able to show the receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the dog arrives in the United States. You must also retain the receipt and be able to show the receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the dog arrives in the United States.

If you have more than one dog, each dog must have its own dog import form. The form is free of charge. 

Information required to Complete CDC Dog Import Form 

• Photo of dog: Make sure to upload a recent picture (jpg, png, gif files only) of the dog, showing its face and body. Dogs under one year old should have their photograph taken within 15 days before travel to the U.S.
• Microchip number: 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. 

The form’s receipt is valid for a single entry into the U.S. and is valid for entry only on the date of arrival listed on the receipt. The form can be submitted any time before travel, except for dogs less than one year of age whose photo should be taken within 15 days before travel to the U.S.

The CDC Dog Import Form receipt can be printed or shown on a phone screen to U.S. customs officials or airlines (if applicable). 

Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Form

A certified vet completes this form. This form must then be endorsed by a government veterinarian in the country where the dog is being exported from. 

The veterinarian who completes the form and endorses the form can be the same. Each country maintains their own list of official government veterinarians, so ask the dog’s veterinarian for information about official government veterinarians authorized to endorse the form on behalf of the country’s government.

The dog’s veterinarian can find the form and instructions by visiting this link - Documents for Veterinarians to Complete for Importing a Dog into the U.S. The form must be endorsed by an official government veterinarian before it can be used to bring a dog in the U.S. 

This form must be completed no more than 30 days before the dog travels to the U.S. The dog must meet specific requirements, like being microchipped and having a valid rabies vaccination, before the dog’s veterinarian can complete the form. If the dog is receiving its first rabies vaccine, the vaccine must be administered at least 28 days before the dog enters the U.S. 

You can use this form only one time to enter the U.S. The form is valid for 30 days after it is signed by the dog’s veterinarian.

The document must be signed by the dog’s veterinarian, either electronically or handwritten. The document then must be printed. The printed document must accompany the dog and be presented to the airline (if applicable) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon arrival in the U.S. 

Rabies Serelogy Test (Rabies Titer Test)

A rabies serology test, also known as a rabies titer test, is a procedure which tests a dog’s immunity against rabies. It is used to test if your pet has been vaccinated against rabies, and if the vaccination prompted enough of an immune response. It gets its name from titration, which is the testing process used. 

A titer test is performed after your pet has been microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. The sample for this test must be taken at least 30 days after your pet's vaccination. A titer of greater or equal to 0.5 IU/mL is the minimum level at which your pet is protected against rabies, and is the minimum result required for international travel.

A valid rabies serology test refers to a passing result on a blood test that proves the dog is immune to rabies after receiving a rabies vaccine. 

A veterinarian must draw the blood sample at least 30 days after the dog’s first valid rabies vaccination?and?at least 28 days before entry?to the United States. 

Dogs with a history of multiple valid rabies vaccinations administered after their microchip was placed can have the sample drawn any time after a rabies booster vaccination if: 

• The dog’s?first vaccine was given at least 30 days before?the blood sample was drawn 
• There has been no lapse in vaccine coverage. If a lapse occurred, the sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the valid booster vaccination was administered.

The veterinarian must send the blood sample to a?CDC-approved rabies serology laboratory. If there is no CDC-approved laboratory in your country, the veterinarian can send it to the closest CDC-approved laboratory. CDC will not accept results from any laboratories other than the ones listed on CDC’s approved laboratories list.

The veterinarian will receive the results of the dog’s titer. The dog must have passing results to have a valid titer. Passing titer results are valid for the dog’s life if the dog’s rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse. If a lapse occurs, the dog must get a booster dose and then a new rabies serology titer. The blood sample for the new rabies serology titer must be drawn at least 30 days after the dog receives the booster dose. 

If the serology result is available, the dog’s veterinarian should include it on the form. If it is not available when the form is completed, the importer can provide the report from the CDC-approved rabies serology laboratory to the CDC-registered animal care facility. 

To conclude, importing your pet to the U.S. is a complex procedure, with various checkpoints, stages, and steps to plan for. Make sure to plan your journey ahead of time and give yourself enough of a buffer to take care of all the prerequisites for entry. If the process feels overwhelming, you can always hire a pet relocation service that will do it for you.