As Canadians prepare for new rules around dogs crossing the border coming into effect on Aug. 1, Health Minister Mark Holland slammed the regulations, stating they were not “thought through well.”
Canada was “surprised and blindsided” by the U.S. announcement of new regulations, Holland said while speaking to the media on Wednesday. The rules state that dogs entering the U.S. must be at least six months old and meet rabies vaccination requirements.
“I’m quite concerned about the regulations that are being brought in by the United States, requiring, as of Aug. 1, a number of new measures for folks bringing their dogs across the border,” Holland said.
“As people would be aware today, when you drive across the border with your dog, there’s not a lot of questions and you’re able to go back and forth, and that makes a good deal of sense, because Canada isn’t a source country for rabies. We are a rabies-free country.”
As a result, it does not make sense for Canadians to be required to fill out paperwork for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before their planned visit, he said.
Canada is not on the U.S. list of high-risk countries for dog rabies.
“The Americans adopted this as a blanket policy for all countries. I don’t think they thought about what they were creating at the Canadian-U.S. border. We are as surprised and blindsided,” Holland said.
The documents required depend upon where the dog has been vaccinated for rabies, and what countries they have been in during the six months before travelling to the United States.
The CDC recommends that the Import Dog Form be filled out online between two and 10 days before arrival at the border, however, it can also be filled out closer to arrival if the owners have internet access.
The form also requires the owner to upload a clear photograph of the dog’s face and body. Dogs that are less than one year old at the time of arrival should have the photo taken within 10 days of arrival, according to the CDC.
Holland criticized the photo requirement.
“Frankly, I don’t think this is a good use of border officers times,” he said. “There’s a lot of issues at the border … and whether my Maltese is another Maltese and having a border officer figure that out, doesn’t make sense to me.”
Dogs are also now required to have a “Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States” form endorsed by an official veterinarian and valid rabies records.
While Canada fully supports proof of vaccination and believes every dog should be vaccinated against rabies, Holland said, requiring these forms to be completed by veterinarians in Canada will take considerable time to validate. Additionally, he said, ensuring all dogs have a microchip will be costly.
“I think Canada should be exempt as a country that is not a source country for rabies and that we should work more closely on policy parity,” said Holland, adding Canada is also waiting on confirmation on a grace period for this regulation.
— with files from Global News’ Amy Judd