Sochi Dogs is a trailblazing nonprofit organization committed to rescuing stray dogs through education, adoption, and spay/neuter programs.
We rescued her years ago after she fell in a canal and broke her back. Afterward, Lulu was a star at the original Sochi shelter!
Since that space closed, we found a sanctuary for her for disabled dogs and we’ve committed to providing for her for life. Lulu is getting lots of love and loves meeting other wheelchair friends. Read about Lulu’s rescue
Lulu is in special shelter
The new CDC rules went into effect on August 1st and caused mass confusion at the border. The rules were so stringent that ordinary citizens traveling with their pets could not cross the border from Canada without extensive paperwork. Thanks to the outcry from the public and legislators, the rules were changed for dogs entering the U.S. from select “low-risk” countries. However, the rules remain in effect for dogs traveling from “high-risk” countries, which, according to the CDC, includes the majority of the world outside of Western Europe.
Now, expats, military families, and rescues are being forced to pay thousands of dollars to have their pets re-vaccinated at one of only six CDC-approved quarantine facilities upon landing. However, before entry, these dogs must undergo a rabies titer test at a CDC-approved laboratory to confirm they are vaccinated against rabies. This raises the question: why must dogs that have already been proven to be vaccinated against rabies at a CDC-approved laboratory be re-vaccinated upon entering the country?
The approximate cost of revaccination at one of these facilities ranges from $1,300 to $2,000, not including the airline ticket and customs broker fees. These facilities are private entities, and their fees are not regulated. Vets are only on staff for limited hours during the day, so travelers arriving outside of those hours are forced to pay additional overnight boarding fees. Americans returning home with pets from abroad, as well as rescues and military families, simply cannot afford this. Moreover, these revaccinations are unnecessary, as the titer test has already proven that these pets are vaccinated against rabies.
We must continue to put pressure on the CDC to revoke these rules so that dogs arriving from “high-risk” countries with a titer test from CDC-approved laboratories no longer need to be re-vaccinated upon arrival. The CDC has already revised many of their original dog-import regulations, and we need to keep pushing for this change.
Please write and call your representative in Congress and ask them to urge the CDC to reconsider these nonsensical rules. Your voice can make a difference!
Find your representative: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
The phone number for the U.S. House of Representatives switchboard is 1-202-224-312
The new CDC dog import rules are already wreaking havoc for travelers, expats, military families, and rescues.
Trying to return from summer vacation with your dog? — NOT POSSIBLE
Living abroad and traveling home for the holidays with your dog? — NOT POSSIBLE
Serving in the military and looking to return with a dog? — NOT POSSIBLE
Rescuing a dog from a war zone? — NOT POSSIBLE
Competing in a dog show abroad and coming home? — NOT POSSIBLE
Accepting a job abroad and taking your dog? — HOPE YOU’RE OK NOT RETURNING
As of August 1 the following airlines have banned ALL dogs on their flights bound for the US because they cannot comply with the new CDC rules.
Lufthansa
Discover Airlines: https://www.discover-airlines.com/en/information/traveling-with-pets/
Austrian Airlines: https://www.austrian.com/us/en/travelling-with-animals
Swiss Airlines: https://www.swiss.com/au/en/prepare/special-care/animals-travelling
Air Dolomiti: https://www.airdolomiti.eu/travel-info/pets
Condor Airlines: https://www.condor.com/us/flight-preparation/baggage-and-animals/travelling-with-pets/conditions-and-regulations-for-transport-and-carriage.jsp
Brussels Air: https://www.brusselsairlines.com/us/en/special-care/pets/cats-and-dogs-in-the-hold
Eurowings: TBC
LOT: https://www.lot.com/us/en/journey/special-services/traveling-with-pets
Call your representatives TODAY to tell them to delay the new CDC dog import rules until a fair and adequate solution can be reached.
Find your representative: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
The phone number for the U.S. House of Representatives switchboard is 1-202-224-312
The new CDC rules go into effect on August 1 and they are impacting everyone: travelers, rescuers, and even military families. Quarantine facilities are concerned about the demand at their facilities and ordinary families are worried about costs.
The CDC has not been able to provide a clear answer to explain the need to revaccinate pets AFTER they've received a titer test at a CDC-approved lab.
Sochi Dogs co-founder, Anna Umansky, spoke with USA Today about how it's going to impact our rescue work in Ukraine. Read more.
