Mustard & Pepper Summer 2024

responsible for a recent outbreak of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Syndrome, especially prevalent in New England, was caused by a new pathogen. In the course of this work, the normal respiratory biome would be more full characterized. Two upcoming webinars are offered, that first being open for registration: “Protecting Our Dogs from Infectious Diseases: How Can We Do Better?” This will be present by Dr. Jason Stull. Dr. Stull had previously developed a “white paper” for the AKC leading to several publications and assisting the Canine Health Committee in developing health recommendations for canine events. It is currently available on the AKC website Club Resources page.View on the AKC/ CHF website. The really big news was in the Parent Club meeting, Delegate meeting and others. Sheila Goffe presented the newest CDC news that many have been hearing about. The interesting part is the date of this was July 15 rather than August 1. NO puppy under six (6) months can pass from this country or another country into the US. Thanks to puppy shops that lied about imports’ ages and vaccinations and brought in diseases, including rabies. This was the catalyst for the new regulations. Below you will find the information that is from the website of the CDC. CDC Updates Dog Importation Regulation; New Rules will Start August 1, 2024 CDC is updating its dog importation regulation to protect the health and safety of people and animals by making sure any dog arriving in the United States is healthy and doesn’t present a risk to our communities. Starting on August 1, 2024, all dogs entering the United States must: • Appear healthy upon arrival; • Be at least six months of age; • Be microchipped; and • Be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt . Additional requirements are based on where the dog has been in the last six months and whether or not the dog was vaccinated in the United States. For dogs arriving from countries with a high risk of dog rabies, they must be protected against rabies. The rabies virus variant carried by dogs (dog rabies) was eliminated in the United States in 2007 and CDC wants to prevent the re-introduction of dog rabies into the United States. This regulation builds on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic when a temporary suspension was enacted for the importation of dogs from countries with a high risk of rabies. This suspension will expire when the updated regulation goes into effect on August 1, 2024. The regulation also more closely aligns with the World Organisation for Animal Health’s standards for the international movement of dogs from countries with a high risk of dog rabies. Furthermore, it addresses recent challenges seen with international dog importations, such as fraudulent documentation and dogs housed in unsafe conditions if they didn’t meet requirements for entry to the United States. CDC encourages people traveling with their dogs to use CDC’s new personalized question-and-answer tool, “DogBot,” on the CDC website to determine what rules apply to their dogs based

on their travel dates, where their dog is traveling from, and where their dog was vaccinated (if required). People should plan in advance for future travel to ensure requirements for dog importations will be met at the time their dogs will enter the United States. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC’s world-leading experts protect lives and livelihoods, national security and the U.S. economy by providing timely, commonsense information, and rapidly identifying and responding to diseases, including outbreaks and illnesses. CDC drives science, public health research, and data innovation in communities across the country by investing in local initiatives to protect everyone’s health. In closing: I am very grateful for having a “Dandie” friend to be my mentor and to present me to the entire Delegate body. Linda Gagnon so honored me and did so as a friend of 50 years. Legislative Report In May, the US House Agriculture Committee approved a House Farm Bill (H.R. 8467) that contains important priorities for dog owners and breeders. These include enhanced protections for dogs under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and seeks additional resources for the United States Department of Agriculture to enforce the provisions of that act. It also improves USDA response related to dogs found in poor conditions by accelerating the notification of state and local authorities if an inspector finds dogs in unacceptable living situations. It also provides funding for transitional shelters that will accept pets so that victims of domestic violence can find safety and security without leaving their pet behind. It also codifies the USDA’s National Detector Dog Center in Georgia, which trains specially selected dogs and their handlers to detect and identify invasive and potentially dangerous pests and diseases that threaten agriculture. The bill also expands the USDA’s electronic health documentation for pets entering the United States with language reflecting the Healthy Dog Importation Act (HR 1184) that confirms all dogs imported into the United States to be in good health, microchipped, fully vaccinated and parasite free. The dogs must also have a health certificate from an accredited veterinarian and, in the case of dogs imported for eventual transfer, must be at least six months old. However, despite the many good provisions found in the bill, there remain problematic ones. The AKC remains concerned about the implementation of the Healthy Dog Importation Act that will go into effect on August 1, 2024, particularly as it affects dog owners and professional handlers who regularly cross the US-Canadian border. The Centers for Disease Control have summarized what will be required to import a dog from Canada (or any other country at low risk for rabies): the dog must be at least six months old, have a microchip, a completed CDC dog import form, a government Respectively submitted, Richard Yoho, Delegate

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