The CDC dog import rule for veterinarians in Canada mostly comes down to two things your clinic can confirm: the dog is at least 6 months old, and it has a microchip a universal scanner can read. Since August 1, 2024, a dog that's been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries, which the CFIA says includes Canada, needs just one document to enter the US: a receipt for the free online CDC Dog Import Form, which the owner fills in.
Most of your clients' trips to Buffalo or Florida will be that simple. The tricky ones are puppies under 6 months, dogs without a chip, and dogs that were in a country at high risk for dog rabies in the last 6 months. Here's the rule, the questions that'll land at your front desk, and what still applies on the drive back into Canada.
What the CDC dog import rule for veterinarians means in Canada
For most Canadian dogs, it means age, a chip, a healthy dog and an online form. The CDC sorts dogs by where they've been in the 6 months before arriving, and for a dog that's only been in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries, it lists these requirements:
| Requirement | Detail | Where your clinic helps |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 6 months old on arrival or return | Confirm age from the record |
| Microchip | Detectable by a universal scanner | Implant, scan and record the number |
| CDC Dog Import Form | Free, online, one per dog; receipt by email | Completed by the owner, importer or shipper, not the vet |
| Health | The dog must appear healthy on arrival | A pre-travel exam if the client wants one |
The CDC says the receipt is good for 6 months and can be reused for multiple entries, as long as the dog hasn't been in a high-risk country and the departure country on the receipt matches. So a dog that crosses back and forth often can use the same receipt until it expires.
For a dog that has stayed in Canada and the US, the CDC asks for no rabies certificate at the US border: age 6 months, a readable microchip, a healthy dog and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
What clients will ask your clinic
Expect three questions, over and over.
"Does my dog's microchip count?"
Probably. The CDC's low-risk page only asks that the chip be detectable by a universal scanner. Scan it at the visit, check that the number in the record matches, and give the client the number for their form. No chip? Implant one and record it.
"Can my puppy come to Florida with us?"
Not if it'll be under 6 months old on arrival. The CDC's age rule applies on entry and on return, so the trip has to be planned around the puppy's birthday. Owners who can't meet the rules can ask the CDC for a derogation, which the CFIA says is at the CDC's discretion and, in some cases, only considered for veterinary needs.
"Does my dog still need a rabies shot?"
Not for the CDC's low-risk entry page, which doesn't list a rabies vaccine requirement. But the CDC also says dogs have to meet USDA and destination state or local rules, and the CFIA notes it has no role in US state requirements. Airlines and the trip home matter too (more on that below). In practice, keep the rabies vaccine current and the certificate handy.
Dogs that were recently in a high-risk country
These are the hardest calls you'll get. The CFIA says a dog in Canada that was in a country at high risk for dog rabies during the 6 months before travel can't enter the US directly from Canada. It has to either wait out 6 months in Canada or enter the US directly from the high-risk country. The CFIA says it's working with the CDC on a process for this situation.
Dogs that do enter from a high-risk country face more paperwork under the CDC's veterinarian guidance. A US-vaccinated dog returning home needs a Certification of US-Issued Rabies Vaccination from a USDA-accredited vet, completed before the dog leaves the US; for a first rabies vaccine, that's at least 28 days after it was given. A foreign-vaccinated dog needs a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip completed by the foreign vet, with the microchip implanted before the rabies vaccine.
Where titre tests are required, the blood has to be drawn at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccine and at least 28 days before entry, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/mL.
The practical upshot: ask every travelling client where the dog has been in the last 6 months, and write it down. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator on its site walks owners through which rules apply.
The trip home: Canada's rules still apply
Coming home is the part clients forget about. The CFIA requires a valid rabies vaccination certificate for a personal pet dog three months or older entering Canada from the US. The certificate has to give the vaccine's trade name and serial number and how long it's valid, or the CFIA treats it as valid for one year. So a dog that entered the US with no rabies paperwork still needs it to get back.
Two owner guides are worth sending clients. PetGrid's guide to bringing a dog into Canada covers the CFIA's requirements, including what border officers check, and travelling with your pet from Canada to the US covers the round trip.
A travel visit checklist for your team
When a client books a pre-travel visit, run through this:
- Confirm the dog will be at least 6 months old on the travel date.
- Scan the microchip and confirm the number in the record; implant if missing.
- Ask where the dog has been in the last 6 months.
- Check the rabies vaccine is current, and print a certificate that meets the CFIA's list for the return.
- Remind the owner to complete the CDC Dog Import Form and to check state and airline rules.
- Note everything in the record.
In PetGrid, rabies certificates print from paperwork, the microchip lives in patient records, and owners on the free app see their dog's vaccines and can use its travel helper to plan the steps.
Questions people ask
What does a dog from Canada need to enter the US?
If it's only been in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries for the last 6 months, it needs to be at least 6 months old, have a microchip a universal scanner can read, appear healthy, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
Does the veterinarian fill out the CDC Dog Import Form?
No. The CDC says the form is completed by the importer, owner or shipper. The clinic's part is confirming the dog's age and microchip and keeping the rabies vaccine current.
Can a puppy under 6 months travel from Canada to the US?
Not under the standard CDC rule, which requires dogs to be at least 6 months old on arrival. Owners can ask the CDC for a derogation, which is granted at its discretion.
Does a dog need a rabies vaccine to enter the US from Canada?
The CDC's low-risk country page doesn't list one, but US states and airlines may have their own rules. The dog will also need a valid rabies certificate to come back into Canada if it's three months or older.
What if the dog was in a high-risk country recently?
The CFIA says it can't enter the US directly from Canada until it has spent 6 months in Canada, or it must enter directly from the high-risk country under the CDC's stricter rules.
The short version
For most dogs, the CDC dog import rule for veterinarians in Canada is simpler than it sounds. Confirm age and microchip, keep rabies current, and remind the owner about the CDC form, state and airline rules, and Canada's own certificate for the way home. Puppies and dogs recently in high-risk countries are the hard cases, and they need planning early.
Want to see how PetGrid keeps microchips, rabies certificates and travel notes in one record? Book a demo with the PetGrid team.
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