Click HERE to download audio of Grassley discussing the legislation

WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Healthy Dog Importation Act to combat the spread of foreign animal diseases entering the United States. The legislation would expand the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (USDA-APHIS) program by providing additional tools to monitor and safeguard the health of dogs being imported into the country. 

“Maintaining animal health is critical to our nation’s overall public health goals. We want to stop the spread of diseases that can hurt both animals and humans. Our commonsense proposal will boost an existing program to ensure all dogs entering the United States are healthy and not at risk of spreading dangerous diseases that threaten humans and our livestock,” Grassley said. 

“We’ve seen first-hand the risk that animal-borne diseases pose to other species and humans, so it’s important that we screen animals coming across the border to make sure we’re keeping Minnesotans and their families safe. This bipartisan legislation ensures every dog imported into the United States is screened and vaccinated. Monitoring the illnesses of imported dogs will not only protect the health of our domestic and wild animals, it will also prevent disease outbreaks in people,” Smith said. 

In addition to expanding the USDA-APHIS program, the Healthy Dog Importation Act would require every imported dog to have a certificate of veterinary inspection from a licensed veterinarian, with some exemptions for personal pet travel and military dogs. The health certificate must attest the dog has received all required vaccinations and demonstrated negative test results. 

The legislation also would create an online database containing documentation and import permits to ensure dogs entering the country are being properly screened. This would allow further cooperation and communication between APHIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

“NAIA commends Representatives Johnson and Davis and Senators Grassley and Smith for taking action to reduce the spread of foreign animal diseases and pathogens. The bipartisan Healthy Dog Importation Act ensures that imported dogs meet basic health standards before crossing our borders—an essential safeguard not only for animal welfare, but for public health, biosecurity, and the integrity of our domestic pet and livestock industries. It’s a commonsense measure that responds to the realities of an increasingly interconnected world,” President of the National Animal Interest Alliance Patti Strand said.

“NASDA is grateful for Senators Grassley and Smith’s leadership to reintroduce this timely legislation. The ongoing avian influenza outbreak and the ever-present threat of deadly African Swine Fever show the need to better protect the U.S. from highly contagious pathogens and zoonotic diseases. This legislation is critical for NASDA members, as the state departments of agriculture regulate and oversee animal health programs in their states to protect against an animal disease outbreak and secure our food supply. The Healthy Dog Importation Act helps our partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services by providing additional tools to monitor and safeguard the health of dogs being imported into the country,” CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Ted McKinney said.

“Animal health is a top priority for U.S. cattle producers. This legislation will strengthen the inspection process to guard against the entry of zoonotic animal disease and protect public health and cattle health in the U.S. NCBA thanks Reps. Dusty Johnson and Don Davis and Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tina Smith for introducing this important bill,” NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Rivera said.

“With the number of dogs imported into the United States rising to over one million annually, the risk of introducing and spreading diseases impacting human and animal health has dramatically increased. The proposed legislation equips federal agencies with the necessary tools to ensure all dogs entering the country are healthy and not a risk to public health. We urge Congress to pass the Healthy Dog Importation Act swiftly, as it is vital to improving our dog importation standards and strengthening the country’s animal health infrastructure,” American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) President Dr. Sandra Faeh said. 

Additional cosponsors include Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

Click HERE to download audio of Grassley discussing the legislation

Background:

CDC estimates up to 1.245 million dogs are imported into the U.S. each year. For the estimated 113,000 canines imported from countries considered at a high-risk for rabies transmission, CDC requires a rabies vaccination certificate, but no other health documentation or identification. For the 950,000 dogs imported from rabies-free, low-risk or moderate risk countries, CDC requires no documentation or vaccination. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased public health officials’ concerns regarding zoonotic diseases, which can be spread between animals and humans. The CDC reports 60 percent of all infectious diseases and three out of four emerging diseases can be spread from animals to humans. USDA-APHIS has separate regulatory authority over dogs imported for resale. However, USDA’s import requirements apply to only half of a percent of all imported dogs. 

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