Dogs imported into the United States from foreign countries have faced limited federal vetting, allowing sick animals, inadequately vaccinated puppies, and disease risks to enter domestic markets through commercial channels. The Healthy Dog Importation Act would change that by requiring all importers to submit electronic health and vaccination records to the USDA before any dog departs its country of origin — and any dog brought in for sale or adoption must be at least 6 months old and carry a federal import permit. Veterinary inspection certificates would be collected in a centralized federal database, available to state veterinarians within three days on request, and the USDA would publish annual reports on imported dog origins and purposes. Importers who break the rules must bear all costs for the dog's care, quarantine, and return home at their own expense.
Transparency & Accountability
- Import health-certificate database — All dog import veterinary certificates recorded in a centralized federal database, shared with state vets within 3 days on request
- Annual import reporting — USDA required to publish aggregate data on dog country of origin and purpose of import each year
Congressional Summary
Healthy Dog Importation Act This bill expands Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements for the importation of live dogs.Prior to a dog's arrival into the United States, USDA must receive electronic documentation about the dog's health. The documentation must demonstrate that the dog (1) is in good health; (2) has received all necessary vaccinations and parasite treatments and demonstrated negative test results as evidenced by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian; and (3) is officially identified by a permanent method approved by USDA. Additionally, a dog entering the United States for transfer (e.g., for sale, adoption, exchange, or donation) must be at least six months old and accompanied by a USDA permit.USDA must promulgate regulations to, among other things, deny entry of any dog in violation of the new requirements, require USDA to maintain a centralized database of imported dogs, and establish fees for verifying required documentation and issuing transfer permits.USDA must provide an exception to any requirements under the bill for dogs that are transferredas a personal pet of U.S. origin returning to the United States;as a U.S. military working dog;for research purposes;for veterinary treatment under certain conditions, including appropriate quarantining; orfor lawful importation into the state of Hawaii (from the British Isles, Australia, Guam, or New Zealand) if the dog is less than six months old and is not transported out of Hawaii for transfer at less than six months old.USDA also has enforcement authority under the bill.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-05-13
- Date Added
- 2026-06-23
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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