NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — All dogs coming into the U.S. from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies, according to new federal rules published Wednesday.

The requirements will apply to dogs brought in by breeders or rescue groups as well as pets traveling with their U.S. owners.

“This new regulation is going to address the current challenges that we’re facing,” said Emily Pieracci, a rabies expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who was involved in drafting the updated regulations.

The CDC posted the new rules in the federal register on Wednesday. They take effect Aug. 1 when a temporary 2021 order aimed at specific countries expires.

The new rules require all dogs entering the U.S. to be at least 6 months, old enough to be vaccinated if required based on location and for those shots to take effect; have a microchip placed under their skin with a code that can be used to verify rabies vaccination; and have completed a new CDC import form.

There may be additional restrictions and requirements based on where the dog was kept the previous six months, such as blood testing from CDC-approved labs.

The CDC regulations were last updated in 1956, and a lot has changed since that time, Pieracci said.

More people travel internationally with their pets, and more rescue groups and breeders have set up overseas operations to meet the demand for pets, she said. These days, about 1 million dogs are brought into the U.S. each year.

Four rabid dogs have been identified entering the U.S. since 2015, and officials were concerned that number could increase.

CDC officials also were seeing an increase of incomplete or fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates, along with more puppies denied entry because they weren't old enough to be fully vaccinated.

A draft version of the updated regulation was published last year.

Follow NEWSnet on Facebook and X platform to get our headlines in your social feeds.

Copyright 2024 NEWSnet and The Associated Press. All rights reserved.