The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) has been in discussions with The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) regarding the newly introduced Healthy Dog Importation Act (H.R. 6921)—a Bill to amend the Animal Health Protection Act with respect to the importation of live dogs, and for other purposes.
Together, we are working to support the development of legislation that protects animal and public health from the risk of infectious diseases associated with dog importation, while supporting CKC members and their dogs who cross the US border for breeding, events and competition. We are aware that once written, the regulations may present challenges to our members and our US partners will work to ensure CKC members and Canadian dogs are well-represented during the regulatory process. We value the importance of our long-standing Canada/US relationship and are committed to strengthening this process, with the appropriate safeguards in place.
The proposed changes include:
- All imported dogs must be in good health, permanently identified and vaccinated, with certification of vaccination by a licensed veterinarian.
- Imported dogs for transfer to a third party such as resale, adoption, exchange, or donation, must be at least six months of age and accompanied by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) import permit before entering the country. (Importing a dog for your own use is not affected by this requirement)
- The new Act would also streamline and coordinate federal oversight, ensuring documentation and import permits are shared electronically between APHIS, CDC, and Customs and Border Patrol, while clarifying APHIS' key enforcement authority.
- All Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for transport in commerce are required to be sent to USDA for inclusion in a centralized database.
During a time when we are facing the threat of the spread of infectious disease in our respective countries, the need for stricter legislative measures is stronger than ever. In fact, CKC has been working with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association on the issue of the mass importation of dogs and risks to public and animal health. CKC is committed to working with our partners on both sides of the border, to keep our communities and dogs safe, while protecting the interests of our members. Further updates will be provided once more information becomes available.