New bill seeks to permanently pause CDC international pet travel rule

Congressman Tim Kennedy (D-NY26) has introduced a new bill, the Border-Crossing and Re-Entry for K9s Act, which seeks to permanently pause the new rule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that mandates dogs be at least six months old, have a microchip and have a CDC dog import form that is valid for six months when entering the U.S. from Canada.

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, allow dogs younger than six months to cross the border and 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 younger than 6 months).

“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.” 

In July, Kennedy joined a bipartisan letter urging the CDC to pause the new rule, which went into effect August 1.