...including guide dogs

Stringent rules went into effect August 1, 2024

People with guide dogs have been scrambling to adjust to new CDC rules, designed to prevent dogs with rabies from entering the United States. There have been incidents of people with total vision impairment being left alone (without their dogs, or essentially their eyes) to wait for hours. The cost implications for many have been quite significant.

Countries of origin have been sorted by the level of rabies present in the country. The rules for entry vary based on level of risk:

• Entry from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries
• Entry for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• Entry for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
• CDC Dog Import Form Instructions
• Bringing a Dog into the U.S. | Importation | CDC

Dogs who have been in high risk countries can only enter the U.S. through one of six approved airports (which are CDC registered and have relationships with approved testing/boarding facilities. These airports are ATL (Atlanta), LAX (Los Angeles), MIA (Miami), JFK (New York), IAD (Washington, DC), and PHL (Philadelphia).  A facility reservation is necessary in advance.

CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities | Importation | CDC

Please do everything possible to ensure your friends, family, DA and other co-workers are aware of these rules. There are a lot of countries on the high-risk list, including Brazil, parts of China, Columbia, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam and many more.