Scott Russell of Portland opens the gate for George, his one-year-old mixed breed, as Honda, left, and Max wait to play at Quarry Run Dog Park on July 11. Derek Davis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have loosened new rules for bringing dogs into the United States, dropping a mandate that all dogs’ rabies vaccination records be certified by a USDA-accredited veterinarian.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jared Golden, who said the rules threaten a dog sledding race important to northern Maine’s economy, is calling for a one-year delay in implementing and enforcing the regulations. They are currently scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1.
Dogs coming from low-risk or rabies-free countries like Canada are now only required to be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form – which is free but must be completed online – appear healthy, be older than six months and have a microchip that can be detected by a universal scanner.
Dogs must still be vaccinated against rabies, per Maine law, they just don’t need to have their records certified.
Dogs traveling from high-risk countries, such as Cuba, Turkey and Ethopia, however, will need to have certified rabies vaccination records, in line with the initial rules the CDC announced in May.
The federal public health agency said it decided to “simplify” the guidelines in recent weeks because it “values the feedback received from various countries, industry partners and the public,” according to a statement posted on its website on Monday.
The rules are intended to combat the spread of dog rabies in the United States – which was declared free of that version of the virus in 2007.
The changes come after Golden and Sen. Susan Collins raised concerns about the communities on either side of the Canadian border in Maine being severely impacted by the restrictions.
In a letter to CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen last week, Golden called for the regulations to be delayed and revised specifically to protect the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race.
On Monday, he proposed an amendment to block a year’s worth of federal funding for the CDC to implement the changes.
“The new rule adds age restrictions, microchipping requirements and additional paperwork estimated to cost sled dog racers and others who bring dogs into the U.S. between $150 and $300 per dog,” Golden said in a statement. “For a full team of 14 dogs participating in the Can-Am, that could mean up to $4,200 in additional expenses every year.”
Collins also called for the CDC to postpone and revise the guidelines to adhere to public concerns, including about Can-Am.
Both Golden and Collins said they fear dog owners in border communities who frequently travel between the countries would be unfairly impacted and faced with unnecessary financial burdens, including while seeking routine care for their pet.
“This rule threatens the way of life in northern Maine,” Golden wrote in the letter. “I believe the development of these regulations failed to account for the communities I represent.”
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