CDC’s new rules for dogs entering the U.S. will have unique impacts in Alaska

Scout, a sled dog, rides successful a car extracurricular Fairbanks, Alaska connected Nov. 10, 2013. (Ian Dickson/KTOO)

New rules for bringing dogs into nan United States group to return effect adjacent period will person immoderate unsocial impacts successful Alaska.

The stricter canine separator requirements are being implemented by nan U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opening Aug. 1. Alaska authorities veterinarian Sarah Coburn said they’re aimed astatine keeping a canine version of nan rabies microorganism retired of nan country.

“For nan past fewer years, there’s been immoderate issues pinch higher consequence countries pinch immoderate fraudulent rabies vaccine certificates, improper vaccines being given,” she said. “So there’s been immoderate issues internationally pinch nan import of dogs.”

Coburn said nan caller standardized separator rules see a prohibition connected bringing immoderate canine nether six months aged into nan U.S.

“We’ve had immoderate group from Southeast Alaska wherever group whitethorn — Skagway aliases Haines, they whitethorn thrust to Whitehorse for veterinary care,” she said. “And if it’s a canine nether six months of age, they’re not going to beryllium capable to do that.”

Coburn said there’s besides a caller microchip requirement.

“An proprietor pinch a U.S. root dog, that’s vaccinated successful nan U.S., that canine needs to beryllium microchipped pinch an ISO-certified, internationally recognized microchip anterior to being vaccinated,” she said.

Coburn said a minimum of 28 days is required from erstwhile nan micro-chip and rabies vaccination are administered and erstwhile nan canine tin participate nan U.S. Rabies vaccination certificates person agelong been mandatory, but Coburn said nan caller rules require nan vaccine to person been administered by a U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited veterinarian, aliases astatine a installation managed by one.

“So if it’s a laic vaccinator, that will not beryllium accepted is my understanding,” she said. “So for agrarian Alaska pinch nary veterinary services, those vaccines fixed by a laic vaccinator are due successful our state, and they’re a very important nationalist wellness intervention. But they will not beryllium accepted for world travel.”

According to nan CDC, different norm alteration requires completing an online canine import form. An agency website says further required archiving varies depending connected wherever nan canine has been successful nan six months earlier entering aliases returning to nan United States.

Coburn said she has reached retired to nan CDC for explanation connected nan caller canine separator crossing rules, peculiarly connected really they will impact Alaskans travelling to Canada aliases nan Lower 48 and back.

“I tin show you we’ve had many, galore questions and group calling pinch questions aliases concerns aliases trying to get much information,” she said.

Longtime North Pole veterinarian Jeanne Olson said moreover veterinarians are trying to fig retired nan caller rules, and galore group are unaware of nan upcoming changes. She cites interest astir those readying to caput southbound pinch dogs this fall.

“Seasonal travelers up present that came up pinch a rabies vaccine certificate and that’s it,” she said. “They’ll get a small spot of a astonishment erstwhile they spell to nan separator this year, truthful we’re trying to get nan connection out.”

Olson besides highlights nan rumor of sled dogs transported betwixt Alaska locations done Canada.

“There’s hundreds of dogs that migrate down to nan glaciers successful Southeast, extracurricular of Juneau, mostly for nan Princess tours,” she said. “And astir of them don’t person microchips, and surely location are immoderate that astir apt had pups, truthful there’s that small characteristic to Alaska that is besides thing they hadn’t thought of.”

Olson said she understands nan extremity of keeping canine version rabies retired of nan U.S., but that nan caller rules don’t make consciousness for recreation betwixt canine rabies-free countries for illustration nan U.S. and Canada.