Bringing Dogs to the US from Mexico – CDC announces new rules (UPDATE 22 July 2024)

From the 1st of August 2024, all dogs traveling to the US, including those returning after traveling abroad from the US, will be required to be over six months of age, and microchipped.

UPDATE 22 JULY 2024

This is an important update for anyone who has been worried about complying with the new restrictions taking a dog into the USA from Mexico after the 1st of August 2024.

We are very happy to share that the CDC have rolled back most of the requirements. The new CDC update, announced today, stated that the new requirements for entering the USA from Mexico are as follows:

• The dog must be at least 6 months old.
• The dog must have been in a low risk country (Mexico is currently low risk) for the past 6 months.
• The dog must be healthy.
• The CDC Dog Import Form must be completed.
• The dog must have a microchip that can be read by a universal scanner.

We strongly advise anyone flying to check with their airline as each air carrier has its own rules. As far as we are aware, nothing has changed for dogs coming for countries considered a high risk.

A shock to dog lovers

This new rule will come as a shock to dog lovers, who travel with their dogs for leisure, sporting activities, or show, and dog breeders. Perhaps, more than any other group, those bringing dogs into the US from Mexico and other countries for adoption will be most seriously impacted.

The CDC estimates that almost one million dogs are imported into the US annually, with almost a quarter of those crossing by land. At least 100,000 are estimated to originate in countries considered a rabies risk. Concern about rabies infected dogs entering the country has led to the US government making these major changes.

Why the United States is changing the rules for importing dogs from other countries

A series of incidents that have highlighted risks in the way that dogs have been imported were discussed in the US Department of Health and Human Services report, Control of Communicable Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats, released to announce this change in regulations. In 2019, the importation of a rabies infected dog cost the state over $400,000 for the costs of public health investigations and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis treatment for those who had been in contact with the dog.

Then in 2020 the CDC noted a 52% increase in the number of dogs being denied entry due to the use of fraudulent documentation. Then in 2021, a rescue organisation imported 33 dogs and one cat were imported into the United States from Azerbaijan. Although the dogs seemed to have valid rabies vaccination documents, one dog developed rabies symptoms three days after arrival.

Three days after arrival, one dog developed signs of rabies. The other animals that had been exposed to the rabid dog were quickly dispersed across nine different states. This resulted in a huge public health investigation. 18 people received treatment to prevent rabies due to exposure to the rabid dog, and studies done on the other animals indicated that the vet in the originating country, had implemented improper vaccination protocols. The animals that had been exposed to the rabid dog were quarantined for periods ranging from 45 days to six months and were re vaccinated.

These cases prove to be costly, stressful for all concerned and dangerous. On average, the CDC state that for every rabid dog imported, approximately 20 people need to receive prophylactic treatment and 21 dogs require either treatment, vaccination, or quarantine. *

The CDC went on to explain:

“CDC has documented numerous importations every year in which flight parents transport dogs for the purpose of resale, adoption, or transfer of ownership that do not meet CDC’s entry requirements. These flight parents often claim the dogs are their personal pets to avoid U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Care entry requirements and potential tariffs or fees under CBP regulations. Even when well-meaning, these importers jeopardize public health, as many of them do not know the history of the animals they are transporting.”

What are the new rules for bringing dogs into the US from Mexico?

• All dogs arriving from any country, including dogs returning to the United States after traveling abroad must be microchipped with an International Standards Organization (ISO)-compatible microchip prior to travel into the United States.
• Microchip information must be included on importation documents to help ensure that dogs presented for admission are the same dogs as those listed on the rabies vaccination records or other documents.
• All dog arriving in the United States from another country must be at least six months of age and all relating documentation must show this.
• All dogs arriving in the United States must have a CDC Dog Import Form via a CDC-approved system prior to travel to the United States submitted by their importer, whether they arrive by land, air, or sea. A receipt for this form must be provided upon entry and must be provided to the airline prior to boarding.
• All forms required by the CDC except the online CDC Dog Import Form will need to be endorsed by official government veterinarians in the country of origin. To do this, request that your own veterinarian submit all documentation to the government veterinary service for this endorsement. Please see our update further down in this article with information about how to contact the ‘official government veterinarian’ for Mérida.
• All dogs arriving by air are required to have an air waybill issued by the airline.
• Dogs coming from Mexico, which is considered a dog rabies free country, will need to have evidence provided by their importer that they have been in a rabies free country for the last six months. Documents that can be provided include a USDA export certificate, a valid foreign export certificate, or a valid Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free orDMRVV Low-risk Country form. Other documentation may be approved but these have not been listed.
• Dogs coming from Mexico may also have a proof of rabies vaccination, which is recommended but not required using the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form or the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form. All forms must be endorsed by an official government veterinarian. Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip forms will need to be endorsed by an official government veterinarian in Mexico if it is to be used as proof that a dog has been only low-risk or dog rabies free countries.
• If you travel to and from Mexico often, you can obtain a valid Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, which will remain valid for multiple trips for up to three years corresponding to the duration of protection for dog rabies vaccines.
• Foreign-vaccinated service dogs that meet the US government definition of a sevice animal will be allowed entry only through a sea port even if they have been in a high-risk country within the last six months as long as the dog is at least six months of age; has a microchip; has a complete, accurate, and valid Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form; and has sufficient and valid titre results from a CDC-approved laboratory.
• Dogs transiting through the United States on to a further destination will be required to comply with all of the regulations unless they are transported by cargo and maintained in the custody of the airline.
  

UPDATE June 2024 –

We were contacted by readers who were understandably confused and concerned about these new requirements. I contacted the CDC and the Mexican government for clarification. Here is the information received.

From the CDC

“If the dog was vaccinated in another country, the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form requires endorsement by an official government veterinarian in the exporting country. Every country establishes their own criteria for who may serve as an official veterinarian on behalf of the exporting country. CDC does not maintain a list of official government veterinarians for countries outside the U.S. Please work with a local veterinarian in the country of export to identify the location of an official government veterinarian.” ~ Dave Daigle, Associate Director for Communication in CDC’s Office of Public Health

This still left us with some confusion over who, exactly, would be the ‘official government veterinarian’. We asked a number of private veterinarians if they had received any information and they were as confused as we were.

From SENASICA – Mexico’s National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality

So we contacted SENASICA, the government department responsible for assigning official government veterinarians. Below is a translation of what they told us about the official government veterinarian in Mérida.

“In this case, we have official doctors who can support you:

Mérida-Umán Highway km 4.5 Authorities Building, Mérida International Airport “Manuel Crescencio Rejón”, Col. Manuel Crescencio Rejón, Mérida, Yuc., C.P. 97291
(55) 5905-1000 Ext. 52050 / 52051
oisamerida@senasica.gob.mx

We recommend you dial to find out the hours of operation.”

There are no changes to requirements for cats at this time.

Further information

While we have tried to produce a detailed guide to the new regulations, we urge you not to rely on this article alone. Please consult with the appropriate government websites, your airline and veterinarian before considering traveling with your dog to the United States from the 1st of August 2024. The CDC have created a Dog Bot. You can use this to get specific instructions and information relating to bringing your dog into the country.

Right now, we understand that many countries have not provided guidance to their government veterinarians and so this process may be difficult to comply with. We urge you to plan ahead as it may be much more complicated than you anticipate right now.

Also, check with your airlines to ensure that you can fly with your dog as we have heard of at least one international airline that is declining to carry dogs from the beginning of August due to the extra burden of these requirements.

*Source: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 42 CFR Part 71 [CDC Docket No. CDC-2023-0051] RIN 0920-AA82 Billing Code: 4163-18-P Control of Communicable Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats