The CDC’s New Rules for Flying With Dogs Are Officially In Effect

Graner stresses that with the updated regulations, “travelers must plan months ahead when exporting their pet overseas and when re-entering the United States from high-risk rabies countries. It’s complicated to travel from high-risk countries, and each scenario is different, depending on the country, airline, and pet.” And on the whole, if passengers fail to meet all the new August 1 specifications, they “may be subject to costly fees to accommodate the last-minute reservations. In some cases, pets may be refused entry and returned to the country of origin,” she says.

So, what exactly do travelers need when flying with their furry friends from any of the high-risk countries on the list? Just like from low-risk countries, each dog must have a CDC dog import form associated with it, appear healthy, be at least six months of age, and have a microchip recognized by universal scanners that was implanted prior to receiving its rabies vaccine. (Microchip numbers are mandatory on all forms and supporting documents.)

But unlike the entry form for dogs arriving from low-risk and no-rabies countries, the import forms for dogs coming from high-risk countries must include a photo clearly showing the dog’s face and body. While the form may be submitted anytime prior to arrival, photos must be taken within 15 days of the arrival date if dogs are younger than one year old. You’ll need one form per dog per trip—forms cannot be reapplied for future travels and any change in departure details necessitates a new dog import form.

For now, US-vaccinated dogs traveling from high-risk countries must also have a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form or a USDA-issued health certificate registered as a part of their documentation. While the organization’s official stance starting on August 1, 2024, requires the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form, the CDC will observe a transition period until July 31, 2025, during which a USDA-issued health certificate can be accepted instead. When making veterinary appointments to receive these documents, Graner cautions that “not all vets are USDA-endorsed, so please double check with your provider before making an appointment.”

Specific details concerning the logistics and required information for each form can be found on the CDC’s page about flying with US-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.

Flying with foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries

If a dog arriving from a high-risk country was vaccinated for rabies outside of the US, then it must have a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, a valid rabies serology titer report from a CDC-approved laboratory (if the aforementioned certification form does not already include it), and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility for testing and examination prior to entry into the US in addition to the new CDC dog import form. In the event that a rabies serology titer report is not included, the reservation at the animal care facility must include a 28-day quarantine period.

“Depending on the destination, paperwork can take anywhere from a few days to several months to process,” Graner says. “Travelers who plan to bring a dog to the United States from a high-risk rabies country have to plan ahead with a reservation at a CDC-approved Animal Care Facility prior to their travel date.”