US suspends entry for dogs to curb rabies: What pet owners in the UAE need to know
According to Arabian Business, The United States has recently placed a “temporary” suspension on the entry of dogs into the country in order to curb the spread of rabies. The suspension will last until July 31, 2023, and applies to dogs coming from countries that are considered to be at “high-risk” for rabies, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.
To enter the US, foreign-vaccinated dogs from these high-risk countries must have a valid CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record, as well as a CDC Dog Import Permit or a reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility. The CDC has also made it clear that they will not accept foreign-issued pet passports or any other certificates for foreign rabies vaccinations.
Countries listed are up to 110 including:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Ceuta
- Chad
- China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Melilla
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania (Including Zanzibar)
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
To bring a dog to the US from a high-risk country, you will need CDC’s advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit), a reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility, or a US-issued rabies vaccination certificate. This is also applicable to dogs imported from a country that is not included in the high-risk countries list, but the dogs have been in a high-risk country in the past six months.
The CDC Dog Import Permit approvals may be granted for up to “two foreign-vaccinated dogs per applicant during the temporary suspension,” the authority said. If the request for a CDC Dog Import Permit is denied, “CDC’s written denial will constitute final agency action. No appeals will be allowed.”
It’s important to note that if a dog arrives in the US from a high-risk country and doesn’t have a valid rabies vaccination certificate issued by the US, a CDC Dog Import Permit, or a reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility, it won’t be allowed to enter and will be sent back to the country of departure at the importer’s cost.
The CDC emphasised that before bringing a dog to the US, importers should verify other federal regulations and also the rabies vaccination requirements of state and local governments at the dog’s final destination
Read:
What you need to know: Rabies Vaccine in Dogs
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