Healthy Dog Importation Act
The Healthy Dog Importation Act would add a new provision to the Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) creating a formal, government-regulated system for importing live dogs into the United States. It requires pre-import documentation and health standards (health status, vaccinations, parasite treatment, negative tests, official identification) and, for dogs being transferred to new owners, an age minimum (6 months) and an import permit. The bill also lays out exceptions, sets up a regulatory framework (electronic documentation, post-arrival verification, central data sharing, and fees), and establishes enforcement mechanisms with penalties for noncompliance. Notably, it would replace the existing Animal Welfare Act provisions on live-dog importation by repealing Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act, and it includes a transition period during which current regulations would continue to apply if not in conflict. In short, the Act aims to tighten and formalize the importation of dogs to protect animal and public health, improve traceability, and create a centralized system for monitoring and enforcing dog imports and transfers.
Key Points
- 1Definitions and scope: Establishes key terms (compensation, import transporter, importer, transfer) and clarifies who is regulated and what counts as a transfer of ownership or control of an imported dog.
- 2Preconditions for import: Requires pre-transport electronic documentation showing the dog is healthy, vaccinated, treated for parasites, has negative test results, and is officially identified. For dogs intended for transfer, the dog must be at least 6 months old and accompanied by an import permit.
- 3Exceptions: Provides regulatory carve-outs for certain transfers (e.g., personal pets returning to the U.S., U.S. military working dogs, dogs for research, veterinary treatment with quarantine then export) and a Hawaii-specific exception for very young dogs under 6 months under certain conditions.
- 4Regulatory framework and data: Authorizes the Secretary to issue regulations within 18 months, including electronic submission, post-arrival verification, a centralized database for certificates, sharing with state veterinarians, annual aggregated data reporting, and fees to fund program costs.
- 5Enforcement and penalties: Grants the Secretary authority to enforce the new requirements, with penalties for noncompliance and provisions to cover care, quarantine, removal, and potential return of dogs to exporters at the importer’s expense.
- 6Transition and repeal: During a transition period, existing Animal Welfare Act regulations related to live-dog importation continue to apply if not conflicting. The Act also repeals Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act to align with the new framework.