The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has made an important announcement regarding the extension of current restrictions on imported dogs from countries identified as having a high risk of enzootic rabies. The extension is set to last for an additional year, until July 31, 2024. This measure applies to all dogs that have been present in any high-risk DMRVV (dog-maintained rabies virus variant) country within the last six months.
As part of the prolonged suspension, commercially imported dogs will only be allowed entry into the United States through a designated port of entry equipped with a CDC-approved animal care facility. Detailed information on other CDC import requirements can be found on their official website.
The decision to extend the restrictions comes in response to the significant influx of dog imports into the U.S., coupled with ongoing disruptions to global rabies vaccination campaigns due to the lingering effects of the pandemic. The CDC has also proposed a rulemaking initiative aimed at establishing new importation guidelines to combat fraud and enhance the U.S. government’s ability to verify compliance with entry requirements. If these proposed changes are implemented, they may potentially eliminate the need for further extensions in the future.
