Introduction of Healthy Dog Importation Act of 2023

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-earnings firm, the world’s major purebred puppy registry and primary advocate for puppies, welcomes the introduction of the Wholesome Puppy Importation Act of 2023  in the United States Senate.

AKC is grateful for the continuing and bipartisan management of Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) as lead sponsors of the invoice and  Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga), Roger Marshall (R-Kan) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) as original sponsors. This measure and their leadership will go a extended way to addressing fears about the latest documented incidents of unhealthy dogs becoming imported into the United States.

The AKC has been lengthy involved about the danger of really contagious and zoonotic conditions this sort of as rabies, canine influenza and distemper, which have been carried into the U.S. by puppies imported with out standard veterinary checks or legitimate health and fitness certificates.

Related worries about the import of rabies alone from contaminated canines led the U.S. Centers for Illness Handle and Prevention (CDC) to renew increased import specifications  last month for puppies coming into the U.S. from international locations at high threat for rabies.

The Balanced Canine Importation Act delivers a prolonged-term solution that addresses a broad variety of pathogens that can enter the U.S. by way of the import of harmful canines. It does not ban imports from any particular nation, but instead involves that all puppies imported into the U.S. post legitimate wellbeing certificates from a licensed veterinarian accredited by identified veterinary authority, be forever determined and subject to checks or inspection at the port of entry.

“Dogs are becoming imported into the U.S. at records prices. However, dogs imported devoid of primary veterinary checks or legitimate wellness certificates are also bringing contagious and lethal zoonotic ailments such as rabies and canine influenza,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO.

“This poses a major health and fitness menace to our animals and the community. The basic health and fitness certifications in the Wholesome Doggy Importation Act will secure the overall health and wellbeing of every single pet in our nation – and the human beings who treatment for them.”

AKC many thanks the Nationwide Animal Fascination Alliance for their very long-time leadership on the situation, and the American Veterinary Healthcare Affiliation for their support of this measure.

Qualifications:   

The U.S. desire for pet dogs—without accounting for populace growth—is much more than 8 million canine on a yearly basis. U.S. Breeders are unable to meet this demand. As a substitute, as many as 1.245 million pet dogs are imported yearly into the U.S., in accordance to the U.S. Facilities for Disease Manage and Prevention (CDC).

Exponential expansion in the import of canine – specially from unregulated resources – has resulted in puppies with non-native parasites and zoonotic disorders these types of as rabies, viral bacterial infections and brucellosis staying imported and passed into the standard public, developing a considerable threat to the health and fitness of other canines, animals and the individuals who care for them.

Zoonotic diseases – all those which can be transmitted across species, including animal to human transmission, and involve a wide variety of viruses these as corona and other viruses – pose a serious menace to US community well being.  According to the US Centers for Sickness Manage and Prevention, some 75{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of emerging disorders are zoonotic.

The American Kennel Club acknowledges the benefit of importing breeding stock from overseas, the great importance of insuring sufficient obtain to detection pet dogs that shield public security and protection, freedom of decision in deciding upon a pet, and ensuring that individuals may well travel with their pets with a minimum amount of disruption. Nonetheless, we are also concerned about the increasing documented incidences of the importation of unhealthy random-source pets, significantly for transfer, exactly where community and pet health may possibly be inadequately safeguarded.

Present pet import oversight mechanisms administered by the U.S. Division of Agriculture and U.S. Customs have been set up prior to the exponential advancement in imports and are not able to sufficiently check canine health on entry or defend in opposition to the public and animal health danger this signifies.

AKC supports efforts to make certain that all puppies imported into the United States are absolutely immunized totally free of an infection, parasites and contagious conditions and are separately accredited as this kind of by a qualified veterinarian. We glimpse forward to doing the job with the sponsors to progress this important safeguard for pet and public well being.

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