Canadian health minister speaks out against U.S. dog rules

Canada’s health minister, Mark Holland, said he was “quite concerned” about new rules being promulgated by the U.S. Centers of Disease Control (CDC) governing dogs entering the country. The rules go into effect on August 1 and will force dog owners to jump through significant hoops if they want to bring Rover into the states with them. The rules will also apply to American residents who leave the country and then re-enter with their pet.

“I think that was a very poorly thought-out bit of business and it’s going to have a huge impact for Americans. I don’t think they gave it much thought when it came to the U.S./Canada border,” he said during a press conference in Ottawa on July 17. “This came as a big surprise to me. To be frank, when I first heard it, I thought ‘Well, this can’t be serious, they surely must be thinking of an exemption’” to Canada, he added. “I remain hopeful that logic will prevail.”

Following a visit to Washington, Holland said the rules had been relaxed somewhat for Canada. A requirement that dogs be certified rabies-free by Canadian Food Agency veterinarians has been replaced by one that only requires a veterinarian statement that the dog has been vaccinated. A special form for Canadians will allow dogs to enter and re-enter the U.S. as long as their rabies vaccination is valid. In addition, any type of microchip will be accepted; previously, the rules called for a specific type of microchip.

Regardless, all dogs entering the U.S. including returning residents will need to be at least six months of age, and be accompanied with a completed dog import form that includes a photo of the dog’s head and body.

Holland said he had received “very positive indications” that his request for a grace period of a couple of months may be approved but that he had not yet been given confirmation.

“Frankly, I just don’t think this is a good use of border officers’ time. There’s a lot of issues at the border. Whether my Maltese is another Maltese and having a border officer figure that out, I’ve said to [U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra] doesn’t make sense to me,” Holland said.

Local immigration attorney Len Saunders has been making the rounds of various Canadian media outlets who are seeking a local perspective on the issue. Given the fact that both Canada and the U.S. are free of rabies, Saunders scoffed at the need for the new rules. “It’s like the U.S. version of ArriveCan, only for dogs,” he laughed.

For more information about the new rules, go to bit.ly/3zW0SAe.