Oh!! This is need to know info for us travelers.

 

some additional information for anyone wondering.

 

So, this basically means that US citizens can no longer buy a puppy from a Canadian breeder...? Or from any breeder outside the US? Or rescue puppies from outside the US (which I know is controversial, but there are some good programs out there). Ugg.

If anyone is curious, apparently the reason is to control the spread of rabies: Bringing a Dog into the United States | Bringing an Animal into U.S. | Importation | CDC.

It will be interesting to see if the law actually achieves the intended goal, especially considering the impact it will have on responsible breeders/dog owners and rescue groups. Sigh.

 

...It will be interesting to see if the law actually achieves the intended goal, especially considering the impact it will have on responsible breeders/dog owners and rescue groups. Sigh.

This is incredibly disappointing for puppy buyers who have ever looked at puppies from Canada. I will say that I understand that problem. It's not just good rescues bringing in dogs. I had a friend in my neighborhood several years ago bring a young puppy back home that she picked up on the streets in the Caribbean while on vacation. She took it to a vet and then flew home with it and was walking in the park across the street from my house without much thought as to what it might have been carrying that a vet might not have found. It wasn't quarantined. I can remember thinking "this is why we can't have nice things."

 

I live fairly close to the border and B.C. (the land of talented Goldens) it is really disappointing that puppies need to be 6 months old.

 

So, here I am planning on traveling to Ontario Canada this Summer.
I always have shot records, and certificate of health.

Does this mean I have to see a Vet in Canada to bring my dog back home?

 

This is the CDC’s Q&A tool about this change, it may answer your question - it’s called DogBot and apparently it’s been helpful!: Bringing a Dog into the United States | Bringing an Animal into U.S. | Importation | CDC

If not, I would try speaking to a representative.

 

Wow, this is wild to see! I thought Canada was a rabies-free country? This reads like no one will be able to get an 8 week old puppy from any breeders in Canada and bring it into the US; is that right? Wow...it's not like I'm currently in the market for a puppy, but I had a little thought that maybe someday I'd get another pup from Kyon, in the future....maybe the rules will change again by the time I'm ready...

 

At agility class tonight someone mentioned a letter writing campaign that their breed club is encouraging members to write the CDC protesting the inclusion of Canada in this prohibition. I can understand the rule for countries that still have a rabies issue, but why Canada?? The person who was telling this has huskies that they do sled dog races with, and a lot of their races are in Canada. The new rule will severely curtail them being able to easily cross the border to continue to participate in those races.

 

It didn't answer my question, because I'll be crossing over, then coming back.
But I am assuming ing if your dog is from the states, and has all the vax records, and certificate of health, you'd be okay.
But I don't want to assume anything!

 

Wow, this is wild to see! I thought Canada was a rabies-free country? This reads like no one will be able to get an 8 week old puppy from any breeders in Canada and bring it into the US; is that right? Wow...it's not like I'm currently in the market for a puppy, but I had a little thought that maybe someday I'd get another pup from Kyon, in the future....maybe the rules will change again by the time I'm ready...

It does indeed make it pretty much impossible for people in the US to buy a puppy from a breeder in Canada (which, yes, is absolutely rated a low-risk country for rabies) unless you want to wait to bring it home until it is six months old. I think there used to be a way to get a waiver, but from what I understand, that option no longer exists.

It didn't answer my question, because I'll be crossing over, then coming back.
But I am assuming ing if your dog is from the states, and has all the vax records, and certificate of health, you'd be okay.
But I don't want to assume anything!

I know from what I have read that you have to have the docs for returning to the US with your dog. Coming into Canada has not changed, but you have to have all the forms and rabies/chip documentation to get back in to the US. Here are all the rules and links to the forms you need to complete:

Bringing a Dog into the United States | Bringing an Animal into U.S. | Importation | CDC

Animal Importation, importation of animals, importation of animal products, Traveling with Pets

www.cdc.gov

 

It does indeed make it pretty much impossible for people in the US to buy a puppy from a breeder in Canada (which, yes, is absolutely rated a low-risk country for rabies) unless you want to wait to bring it home until it is six months old. I think there used to be a way to get a waiver, but from what I understand, that option no longer exists.



I know from what I have read that you have to have the docs for returning to the US with your dog. Coming into Canada has not changed, but you have to have all the forms and rabies/chip documentation to get back in to the US. Here are all the rules and links to the forms you need to complete:

Bringing a Dog into the United States | Bringing an Animal into U.S. | Importation | CDC

Animal Importation, importation of animals, importation of animal products, Traveling with Pets

www.cdc.gov

Thank you.

 

It's also a problem for Canadians who just want to vacation in the US with their dogs. Many pet dogs aren't microchipped - the microchip has now become essential - and the new rules state that it had to be implanted before the last rabies vaccine was given. And we need a vet-completed certificate as well. Our family vacationed with out dogs in the Outer Banks for decades but we will not now be going back because it's just too much hassle (and expense) when we have perfectly nice dog-friendly coastal areas right here in Canada. We were planning a two-week stay in Bar Harbor this fall. Fortunately we hadn't booked our accommodation when the new rules came out, so we were able to change our plans and are now going to Prince Edward Island instead.

This is one of those rules that looks good on paper but penalizes everyone instead, not just those who are causing the issue the rule is supposed to address.

 

The new CDC rule makes absolutely no sense given that Canada was deemed to be a canine rabies free country by the CDC in 2018. The ruling was supposedly designed to eliminate the importation of diseased so-called rescue dogs for resale. What this ruling has done instead is punish families with young dogs wanting to travel to the United States, punish ethical breeders, wishing to sell puppies to homes in the United States, and prevent any non-US dog under the age of six months from competing in any US dog show. Not only does this punish all of the wrong people, but it punishes ethical breeders. It also places an enormous strain on an already taxed veterinary medical system here in Canada, because of the requirement for travel documentation provided by a vet prior to each and every trip to the United States. I know that my veterinarians certainly don’t have time for this kind of shuffling.

 

The new CDC rule makes absolutely no sense given that Canada was deemed to be a canine rabies free country by the CDC in 2018. The ruling was supposedly designed to eliminate the importation of diseased so-called rescue dogs for resale. What this ruling has done instead is punish families with young dogs wanting to travel to the United States, punish ethical breeders, wishing to sell puppies to homes in the United States, and prevent any non-US dog under the age of six months from competing in any US dog show. Not only does this punish all of the wrong people, but it punishes ethical breeders. It also places an enormous strain on an already taxed veterinary medical system here in Canada, because of the requirement for travel documentation provided by a vet prior to each and every trip to the United States. I know that my veterinarians certainly don’t have time for this kind of shuffling.

Agree with your entire post, and I had that exact same worry for my vet. Vets are already so overworked and overstretched right now. We have a shortage of vets in Canada (they are trying to train more, opening up more places in the vet colleges, but that will take years). I'd actually feel guilty putting that burden of work on my vet because I want to pop down to the US for a long weekend and take my dog. I love bringing my dog with me, but sadly, our road trips together will now likely be limited to within Canada.

Also - I got an email from the Canadian Kennel Club which basically said, we tried everything to appeal to them and explain about ethical breeders and cross-border competitions, but the message from the U.S. CDC was that this is NOT going to change, not open to discussion or amendments.