CDC Dog Import Form and Instructions

CDC Dog Import Form

Form: CDC Dog Import Form

Below are instructions on how to fill out the form for dogs coming from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries and for dogs coming from high-risk countries.

Filling out the CDC Dog Import Form

This form should be completed by the person importing (bringing) the dog into the United States (the importer, owner, or shipper). After you submit this form, a receipt will be sent to the email address you provided. Please check that the email address is correct before submitting the form.

If the dog is traveling by air, you must show the receipt to the airline before boarding.

You must also retain the receipt and be able to show the receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the dog arrives in the United States.

Dogs coming from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries

The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the United States multiple times within six months from the date of issuance. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for additional dogs or future entries after six months.

Section A- Person Importing the Animal

Enter information about the person bringing the dog to the United States.

This person may be:

• the dog owner,
• the shipper (consignor),
• a flight parent: a person transporting one or more dogs for the purpose of rescue, resale, or adoption on behalf of another person or an organization
• any other person bringing a dog to the United States

That person’s passport number or driver’s license number, or the air waybill (AWB) number for the dog (provided by the airline) must be entered.

To enter the date of birth, click the calendar, select the month and year of birth and then click the day of birth.

Enter the email address where the receipt for this form should be sent. Ensure this email address is correct as this is where the CDC Dog Import Form receipt will be sent when you submit the form.

Enter the phone number of the person bringing the dog to the United States.

Section B- Animal Information

Enter the dog’s name (required)

The following fields are optional:

• Age of the dog in years or months.
• Sex of the dog.
• Breed of the dog. Select “mixed breed/other” if you cannot find the breed of the dog listed, or if you do not know the breed of the dog
• Color and markings of the dog.

Select the importation purpose (required).

Select “Personal Pet” if the dog is a personal pet or emotional support animal.

Select “Commercial” if the dog is being adopted from another country, sold to a person in the United States, or being brought to the United States by or on behalf of a rescue organization or a business.

Select “Service animal” only for a dog that meets the definition of a service animal used in federal regulations (14 CFR 382.3), which states a service animal is “a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals for the purposes of this part.” If “Service animal” is selected, the dog must be traveling with the person with a disability whom it is trained to assist.

Select "Government-owned" if the dog is a working dog owned by a U.S. federal, state, territorial, or local government agency, or a foreign government agency, and the purpose of bringing it to the United States is to serve as part of its official duties.

Select "Education, Exhibition, or Research" if the dog is being imported for one of the following reasons:

• teaching of a defined educational program at the university level or equivalent;
• as part of a public display open to the general public during routinely scheduled hours for entertainment in which the dog is trained to perform some behavior or action; or
• for research following a defined protocol and other standards for research projects as normally conducted at the university level.

Section C- Travel Information

Complete the information below for the first trip when you will use the receipt for this form.

Travel Type: Select how the dog will be traveling to the United States (air, land, or sea).

Country of departure: Select the country from which the dog is departing for the United States. Note that only dog rabies-free and low-risk countries are listed. If the dog is arriving from a high-risk country, or has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months, please return to the top of the page, select “Yes” to the question “Has the dog been in a country that is considered a high-risk country for dog rabies in the last six months?”

Arrival date: Select the date on which the dog will arrive in the United States.

Section D- Signature

Read the statements in this section carefully. You are making attestations and statements of understanding that may subject you to penalties, including criminal penalties.

Check the box indicating you have read the statements and understand that typing your name constitutes a legal signature.

Type your name: first (given) name, middle initial if you have one, and last name (surname) into the text box. Enter today’s date as mm/dd/yyyy.

Once you are finished entering information and have checked that it is accurate, click the blue box on the lower right that says “Submit.”

You should receive an email in the next 15 minutes with your receipt. That email will come from DGMQAdminSupport@cdc.gov and you may need to check your spam folder.

Please retain a copy of your CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You must present the receipt to airline if the dog is traveling by air and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival in the U.S.

Dogs coming from high-risk countries

The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the United States one time. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for future entries or other dogs.

Section A- Person Importing the Animal

Enter information about the person bringing the dog to the United States.

This person may be:

• the dog owner,
• the shipper (consignor),
• a flight parent: a person transporting one or more dogs for the purpose of rescue, resale, or adoption on behalf of another person or an organization
• any other person bringing a dog to the United States

That person’s passport number, driver’s license number, or the air waybill (AWB) number for the dog (provided by the airline) must be entered.

To enter the date of birth, click the calendar, select the month and year of birth and then click the day of birth.

Enter the email address where the receipt for this form should be sent. Ensure this email address is correct as this is where the CDC Dog Import Form receipt will be sent when you submit the form.

Physical address where the dog will be located in the United States.

Enter the name of the recipient or consignee of the dog. This is the person who will receive the dog in the United States. This may be the same person who is traveling with or transporting the dog.

Enter the street address where the dog will be located after arrival in the United States. For example, this may be the home where the dog lives, or a hotel address if the dog will stay at a hotel. If the dog will be in the United States for a brief period (several hours), enter the address where it will be the majority of the time.

Enter the phone number and email address of the recipient or consignee of the dog.

Section B- Animal Information

Enter the dog’s name (required)

Enter the age of the dog in years or months.

Enter the sex of the dog.

Select the breed of the dog. Select “mixed breed/other” if you cannot find the breed of the dog listed, or if you do not know the breed of the dog.

State the color and markings of the dog.

Enter the microchip number of the dog. Each small box will accept up to three characters, so for a 15-digit microchip, you will enter three characters in each box until you enter all the digits. If the dog has multiple microchip numbers, enter the microchip number that is readable and documented on the official veterinary documentation accompanying your dog. Contact your veterinarian for assistance if you cannot find your dog’s microchip number on its medical records.

Attach a photo of the dog showing its face and body (see example below). Only .jpg, .jpeg, or .png files are accepted. Maximum file size is 1mb. If your file is larger than 1mb or in a different format, you must save the file as one of the acceptable file types and reduce the file size. Dogs less than one year old should have this photo taken within 15 days before they will arrive in the United States.

Select the importation purpose.

Select “Personal Pet” if the dog is a personal pet or emotional support animal.

Select “Commercial” if the dog is being adopted from another country, sold to a person in the United States, being brought to the United States by or on behalf of a rescue organization, or moved to the United States on behalf of a business.

Select “Service animal” only for a dog that meets the definition of a service animal used in federal regulations (14 CFR 382.3), which states a service animal is “a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals for the purposes of this part.”

If this importation purpose is selected, the service animal must be traveling with the person with a disability whom the dog is trained to assist.

Select "Government-owned" if the dog is a working dog owned by a government agency AND is serving U.S. federal, state, territorial, or local government or a foreign government agency as part of its official duties.

Select "Education, Exhibition, or Research" if the dog is being imported for one of the following reasons:

• teaching of a defined educational program at the university level or equivalent;
• as part of a public display open to the general public during routinely scheduled hours for entertainment in which the dog is trained to perform some behavior or action and is part of a routinely scheduled show, performance, or exhibition, open to the general public; or
• for research following a defined protocol and other standards for research projects as normally conducted at the university level.

Section C- Travel Information

Each question that follows will depend upon your answers.

1. Does the dog have either a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form or a USDA-endorsed export health certificate?

The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form must be completed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited veterinarian and digitally endorsed by USDA before the dog leaves the United States. USDA-accredited veterinarians can access the form and its instructions at Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) Help Page

If the dog is traveling with a USDA-endorsed export health certificate issued before the dog left the United States, note that it must:

• be digitally endorsed by USDA, and
• contain the dog’s microchip number, and
• list the dog’s current and valid rabies vaccination information, and
• include the dog’s age (showing the dog will be six months of age or older at time of return to the United States),
• have been issued for travel to the high-risk country from which the dog is returning, and
• have been issued no later than July 31, 2025.

If you have either of those documents because the dog was vaccinated in the United States and the veterinarian provided you with copies endorsed by the USDA, select “yes” to that question then proceed to the “travel type” section.

If the dog does not have a current, valid, U.S. document demonstrating the rabies vaccination, select “no” to that question.

2. If the dog has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies and does not have a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination, answer the question: Does the dog have a current and valid Certification of Foreign-Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form that has been endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country?

This is a required document for dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the six months before entry to the United States that do not have a current U.S-issued rabies vaccination.

If you do NOT have this document, you must obtain it from the dog’s veterinarian and ensure it is endorsed by an official government veterinarian. Select “yes” once you have this required document then proceed to the “travel type” section.

• If the dog is a foreign-vaccinated dog traveling from a high-risk country, you will only be able to select the ports of entry with a CDC-registered animal care facility, all of which are airports. These are the ONLY ports of entry where the dog may enter the United States. You must select the airport with the CDC-registered animal care facility where your dog has a reservation. The only exception to this requirement is for service animals arriving at a U.S. seaport if they meet all entry requirements including a valid rabies serology titer.

Travel Type: Select how the dog will be traveling to the United States (air, land, or sea).

• The options in this field depend upon where the dog has been and where/if the dog was vaccinated. If you cannot view the type of travel or port of entry that you were planning to use, this means that the selections you have made on the form do not allow that particular type of travel or arrival location. Please review the requirements at www.cdc.gov/dogtravel.

Country of departure: Select the country from which the dog is departing for the United States.

• This should be the country in which the official government veterinarian has endorsed the documents.

Arrival date: Select the date on which the dog will arrive in the United States.

Select all countries the dog has been in during the six months before arriving in the United States.

State: Select the state or Preclearance location where the dog will enter the United States.

• If your dog is eligible to arrive via a Preclearance port (only U.S.-vaccinated dogs or dogs from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries), the Preclearance port will appear in the drop-down menu for “State of Arrival”. You will select it there, then select it a second time in the “Port of Entry” field. For example, if your flight will travel from a dog rabies-free or low-risk country to the United States via Canada, and you will clear U.S. Customs in Calgary, you would select “PRECLEARANCE - CALGARY” in the “State” dropdown and then select USCBP CALGARY PRECLEAR in the “Port of Entry” field.

Port of entry: Choose the port of entry (for example, the airport or land border crossing) where your dog will arrive in the United States or clear U.S. Customs.

Indicate the carrier and flight number for arrivals by air, the license plate information for arrivals by land, or the vessel name for arrivals by sea.

Indicate how the dog is traveling for dogs arriving by air:

• “Cargo” is for dogs traveling unaccompanied and in the cargo hold, “checked baggage” is for dogs that are in the baggage hold and are traveling with an assigned person on the same flight, and “hand-carried” are those dogs traveling inside the cabin with a person.

Section D- Signature

Read the statements in this section carefully. You are making attestations and statements of understanding that may subject you to penalties, including criminal penalties.

Check the box indicating you have read the statements and understand that typing your name constitutes a legal signature.

Type your name: first (given) name, middle initial if you have one, and last name (surname) into the text box. The date will be entered for you by the system and cannot be edited.

Once you are finished entering information and have checked that it is accurate, click the blue box on the lower right that says “Submit.”

You should receive an email in the next 15 minutes with your receipt. That email will come from DGMQAdminSupport@cdc.gov and you may need to check your spam folder.

Please retain a copy of your CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You must present the receipt to airline if the dog is traveling by air and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival in the U.S.