Moving to America with a dog: What Aussies must know

New rules are coming into force for travellers to the US bringing their pet dog. Here’s what you need to know.

If you’re planning a trip to the United States and want to bring your pet pooch or a therapy dog with you, some rules and regulations have changed that you need to be aware of.

The US Centres For Disease Control and Protection (CDC) is trying to prevent the reintroduction of dog rabies into the US by stopping infected dogs from entering the country.

Australia is rabies-free (as at February 2024) but depending on where else you have travelled with your dog could determine whether you are allowed entry into the US.

Starting 1 August, there are new steps you need to take depending on where your dog has been in the past six months and where it was vaccinated. Here is what you need to do:

Requirements have changed for those travelling by land, sea or air into the US with their dog. Picture: Supplied/iStock

Review the list of high-risk countries for dog rabies

If your dog has been in any of these countries within six months of arriving to the US, you need to follow the requirements for dogs from high-risk countries.

The list is long and includes popular travel countries and nations such as Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Africa, to name just a few.

If a country is not on the list, it is not considered high risk for importing dog rabies into the United States.

The entry requirements for dogs that have been in high-risk countries and were vaccinated in Australia or a non-US country are here.

A veterinarian inoculates a street dog with a dose of anti-rabies vaccine during a vaccination drive at Marina beach in Chennai in June. Picture: AFP

Fill out the CDC Dog Import Form

For dogs that have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries the last six months, the one form you will need is the CDC Dog Import Form, which takes a few minutes to complete.

Fill out the form here if you are the person bringing the dog into the US. After you submit this form, a receipt will be sent to the email address you provided.

If the dog is travelling by air, you must show the receipt to the airline before boarding. Retain the receipt and show it to US Customs and Border Protection when the dog arrives in the United States.

The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the US multiple times for six months. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for additional dogs or future entries after six months.

A pet dog is given a rabies vaccine in the residential area in East Jakarta. Picture: Dasril Roszandi/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Proof of dog vaccination

The CDC recommends all dogs be vaccinated against dog rabies.

You must present a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form. This form is filled out by your veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian.

The requirements for Australian or foreign-vaccinated dogs can be found here.

If your dog is not vaccinated against rabies and has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the past six months, your dog will not be allowed to enter the US.

Other requirements for dogs from low-risk and rabies-free countries

– Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival.

– Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the US.

– Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.

Get all the information about entering the US with a dog here.

Originally published as Moving to America with a dog: What Aussies must know