On Wednesday, August 4th Senators Chuck Grassley and Tina Smith introduced the Healthy Dog Importation Act. The two say that the bill would expand USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service program by providing additional tools that will be able to monitor and safeguard the health of dogs that are being imported into the country.
Senator Grassley said the bill “will expand an already existing program to ensure that all dogs entering the country are healthy and not at risk of spreading dangerous diseases.” Grassley also said, “mitigating the spread of foreign diseases in dogs will help keep domestic and wild animals healthy.”
The legislation would require every imported dog to have a certificate of veterinary inspection from a licensed vet. The health certificate must certify that the dog has received all its required vaccinations and has shown negative test results. This bill would also create an online database that’ll contain proper documentation and import permits to make sure dogs entering the U.S. are being properly screened.
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