Why Do We Need to Fight the CDC on their New Dog Importation Rules? 

There are many reasons why the new CDC dog import rules just don’t make sense. Here’s a quick by-the-numbers breakdown:

4 - the number of rabies cases caused by imported dogs in the last 10 years. No humans were impacted. 

4,000 - the number of rabies cases reported in the US each year, (not related to dogs).

113 - of the 195 countries in the world 113 are on the CDC’s “high-risk” list and affected by the new CDC rules.

483 - the number of International Airports in the US.

6 - the number of airports travelers are allowed to use when entering the US with their dogs from any of the 113 'high-risk' countries.

Prior to entry, each dog not previously vaccinated in the US must receive a rabies vaccine and have certification from a CDC-approved serology lab verifying the vaccine's effectiveness.

9 - countries on the “high-risk” list have a CDC-approved serology lab. This forces many individuals to send their dog’s blood work to a different country to be processed by a CDC-approved lab. Expenses and timing vary from country to country. 

$997* - the amount the individual/rescue must pay to a CDC-approved quarantine facility at one of the 5 approved airports in the US to re-vaccinate their dog upon entering the country. Note: all dogs entering these facilities for revaccination already have a valid CDC-recognized rabies vaccine as proven with the titer test. 

$225 -the amount of the $997 revaccination fee which is allocated as a CDC Admin Fee. 

3 PM - the time the vet at the JFK Airport quarantine facility leaves for the day. The vet is only available until 3 PM on weekdays. Revaccination is not able to happen in the evenings, on weekends, or on holidays. 

$167 - the daily fee individuals must pay for their pet if they need to stay at the quarantine facility to wait for the vet. Note: animals cannot be picked up prior to vaccination. Anyone who does not live within driving distance of one of the 5 quarantine facilities in the US must find lodging to stay near the facility until their dog is released and then find additional transportation home. 

There are horror stories of people waiting for up to 3 days to have their dogs vaccinated at the Miami facility, simply because the center was too backed up. Individuals are missing their connecting flights and being forced to pay for new ones.

Why does the CDC need to revaccinate dogs who have been certified at one of their approved labs as having a rabies vaccine? The CDC does not have a clear answer. 

We must keep the pressure on the CDC. Congress has already forced the CDC to roll back rules restricting dog movement between the US and Canada, but we can’t stop here! Contact your representative today!

Find and contract your representatives here.
The phone number for the U.S. House of Representatives switchboard is 1-202-224-312

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Who remembers Lulu?

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

Progress… But there is Still Work to Be Done!

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 impact...

The new CDC dog import rules are already wreaking havoc for travelers, expats, military families, and rescues. 

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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. 

1. Lufthansa

2.  Finnair: https://www.finnair.com/us-en/flight-information/travel-updates/restrictions-on-travelling-with-dogs-to-the-usa-as-from-1-august-2024--3522796 

3. Discover Airlines: https://www.discover-airlines.com/en/information/traveling-with-pets/ 

4. Austrian Airlines: https://www.austrian.com/us/en/travelling-with-animals 

5.  Swiss Airlines: https://www.swiss.com/au/en/prepare/special-care/animals-travelling 

6. Air Dolomiti: https://www.airdolomiti.eu/travel-info/pets 

7. Condor Airlines: https://www.condor.com/us/flight-preparation/baggage-and-animals/travelling-with-pets/conditions-and-regulations-for-transport-and-carriage.jsp 

8. Brussels Air: https://www.brusselsairlines.com/us/en/special-care/pets/cats-and-dogs-in-the-hold 

9. Eurowings: TBC 

10. 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