U.S. eases border rules for dogs from Canada as Liberals try to secure exemption

OTTAWA — After much hounding by federal officials, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is giving Canadian dogs a slightly longer leash when it comes to new rules aimed at controlling the spread of rabies.

Health Minister Mark Holland said Wednesday that he’s been able to secure some changes to the regulations for dogs entering the United States from Canada after a series of meetings in Washington, D.C.

“We made good progress, I think it significantly improves the situation, but it’s not enough,” he said.

The federal government is arguing that Canada should be exempt from the rules entirely because there is no dog-maintained rabies virus in this country.

Holland said he’s waiting on confirmation that there will also be a grace period for the first couple of months, so people who are not in compliance would get a warning instead of being turned back.

But he said Canadian officials were “blindsided” by the changes announced by the U.S. in May and have not been able to secure a full exemption.

Pooches heading stateside after Aug. 1 will need to be at least six months old, vaccinated and have a universally readable microchip.

Their owners will need to fill out a CDC form and have a veterinarian sign an export document.

Initially, the CDC also required authorization from a veterinarian with the Canada Food Inspection Agency, something Holland said “was going to be a massive problem for us administratively.”

The rules also apply to Americans who are returning home with their dogs after a visit to Canada.

Service dogs are not exempt.

Holland said the new forms will put an extra burden on already-busy border guards, who will now be tasked with verifying what amounts to a doggie photo ID.

“Frankly there’s a lot of issues at the border. Whether or not my Maltese is another Maltese, having a border officer figure that out … doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.

Dr. Tim Arthur, the president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, said the regulations bring the U.S. in line with the European Union, and they come after “a couple of close calls” with dogs being imported to the U.S. from countries that have canine rabies.

Arthur said he’s relieved to see the adjusted rules for Canada, though he acknowledged they will bring new challenges for vet clinics that are busy to begin with.

He’s encouraging pet owners to plan ahead before they travel and above all, be patient. Some clinics may not be able to get the microchipping and forms done on a short turnaround.

“It’s going to be extra work. We’re gonna try our best to get it done,” Arthur said.

Evan Rachkovsky, communications director with the Canadian Snowbird Association, said the May announcement created a great deal of confusion for frequent travellers.

“I don’t believe that (the new rules) make anybody safer. These are dogs that are coming from a low-risk country and the rules that they have currently in place are sufficient,” he said.

The Frontier Duty Free Association, which represents duty-free shops at 32 land border crossings, said it is also urging the American officials to reconsider.

“This will once again disproportionately impact border communities and the tourism industry, which is still recovering from a prolonged border closure,” said Barbara Barrett, the association’s executive director.

Holland said there could be issues for the supply chain as well, citing that about a quarter of long-haul truckers travel with their dogs and frequently cross borders.

“I remain hopeful that logic will prevail here,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2024.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press