Cramer, King, Armstrong, Peltola Introduce Legislation to Address Burdensome Dog Importation Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began implementing a revised dog importation regulation in August applied to all canines crossing into the United States. The updated rule requires airlines to issue an air waybill for all dogs, including service and hand-carried dogs, and would prevent families from traveling with puppies under the age of six months. Military and diplomatic families living abroad and users of service dogs face additional burdens traveling with their pets.

The stringent requirements, such as separating service dogs from their handlers during travel or preventing families from bringing puppies under six months old, create logistical challenges that are both emotionally and financially taxing. Similarly, cross-border hunting trips with dogs and transporting dogs from breeders in Canada have become more difficult.

U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Angus King (I-ME), co-chairs of the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, along with U.S. Representatives Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Mary Peltola (D-AK), introduced the Homeward Bound Act. This legislation is designed to address issues faced by military families, diplomatic personnel, and individuals with service animals under the CDC's new dog importation rule.

The bill provides an 18-month waiver for military, diplomatic families, and service dogs from the CDC's dog importation rule and eliminates the restriction requiring dogs to be at least six months old when imported from low-risk rabies countries. Additionally, the Homeward Bound Act removes the microchip requirement for dogs born prior to the bill's enactment and dogs coming from low-risk rabies countries, where CDC findings show zero known cases of rabid dogs imported in the past 17 years.

"The CDC's dog importation regulation poses significant and unnecessary burdens," said Senator Cramer. "Whether it's Canadians coming to North Dakota to hunt with their dog or Americans going to Canada to pick up their newest pet, cross-border travel is common place. Similarly, individuals with service dogs, members of the military, and diplomats with pets frequently come in and out of the country. Traveling with pets is hard enough without saddling families with the CDC's newest requirements. The Homeward Bound Act fixes this bureaucratic overreach, while upholding public health protections."

Despite recent revisions prompted by public and Congressional feedback, the rule still complicates pet transport from low-risk countries like Canada. This legislation seeks to alleviate these burdens, while building on recent progress. In July, Cramer joined a bipartisan letter led by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), urging the CDC to revise the new border regulations for dogs, which were set to take effect on August 1 and were seen as flawed with unintended, detrimental consequences. In response, the CDC announced critical revisions, including delaying a key provision until at least April 2025 to allow for further review.

"Many American families enjoy the love and companionship of pet dogs - including those serving our country abroad," said Senator King. "However, recent rules put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created additional hurdles that make bringing your dog back to the U.S. a needlessly complicated process - creating a burden on military families, diplomats and those who rely on a service dog. The bipartisan HomewardBound Act would provide more flexibility for these Americans traveling back home from low-risk countries, and help prevent unnecessary separation between owners and their four-legged friends."

"Families need the flexibility and freedom to travel with their dogs without government interference," said Representative Armstrong. "Unfortunately, last month, the CDC decided to stretch the limits of government overreach by introducing a complicated rule that makes traveling across the border with pets more burdensome. I am proud to join my colleagues and introduce the Homeward Bound Act, bipartisan legislation that strikes a balance and makes traveling with pets from low-risk countries possible."

"Alaskans rely on our dogs, not just for companionship, but for transportation and protection," said Representative Peltola. "Recent CDC rule changes are unworkable for many Alaskan families, especially those who frequently cross into Canada, and for dog musher teams that travel to and from the Lower 48. I'm proud to co-lead the Homeward Bound Act, which would remove the age and microchip requirements that make the travel or importation of dogs into Alaska over-complicated, as well as provide a blanket 18-month waiver to military and diplomatic families. Alaskans spoke up and we listened."

Additional cosponsors include U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Jim Risch (R-ID). The legislation has been endorsed by the Humane Society Legislative Fund, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, the Canadian Snowbird Association, Signature Pet Transport, and Doug the Pug.

Click here for bill text.

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