FORT KENT, Maine – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will revisit new regulations for bringing dogs into the United States after acknowledging it made a mistake by not adequately considering the concerns of dog owners and people in border communities.
The CDC will reopen the rulemaking process, according to a press release from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, one of several senators in states bordering Canada who oppose the new regulations. The border-crossing rule was made to prevent the spread of rabies, according to the CDC.
The new regulations for transporting dogs across the U.S.-Canada border would result in hundreds of dollars worth of additional costs for many travelers. Faced with opposition from politicians and stakeholders like the American Kennel Club, the CDC previously delayed implementing some of the regulations from Aug. 1, 2024, until April 1, 2025.
The CDC also simplified part of the rule by allowing dogs to enter the U.S. from low-risk or rabies-free countries like Canada without forms signed by qualified veterinarians. Instead, travelers can fill out a form on the day they travel that says their dog has not been in a high-risk country in the past six months. The form can be used for six months for multiple border crossings.
Despite the revised form, the CDC rule still requires all dogs entering the U.S. to be at least six months old and microchipped.
The new rulemaking process will enable people to weigh in on these requirements.
The decision to revisit the border rule in its entirety could have a positive impact on the upcoming Can-Am Sled Dog races in Fort Kent. The races are one of the region’s largest events and involve many registrants traveling with multiple dogs across the Canadian border.
Can-Am Crown Vice President Sarah Brooks said they are cautiously optimistic about the recent announcement.
“This is a wonderful step forward,” Brooks said. “But our work is not over with.”
Brooks said that, in revisiting these new regulations, the CDC will be hosting public input sessions, and that they will be encouraging people to make their voices heard at these meetings.
“There’s going to be input, again, from stakeholders,” she said. “The stakeholders could be anything from the breeder, to Can Am racers, to Can Am officials, to the truck drivers, to grammy and grampy down the street. We have to be very vigilant of when the CDC is going to announce any further steps.”
