- CDC’s Response to CKC’s Joint Letter with the American Kennel Club (AKC)
We have received a response from the CDC to the joint letter we sent with the American Kennel Club to Dr. Mandy Cohen, CDC Director, outlining our concerns. In their letter, CDC expressed that the minimum six-month age requirement aligns with their rules and current regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act, which requires the dogs imported for resale to be at least six months old on arrival. Additionally, CDC’s letter stated that the minimum six-month age requirement would better protect the health of people and animals, by preventing high-risk dogs with falsified or unverified veterinary documentation from entering the United States through rabies free and low- risk countries. The letter stated that they will carefully monitor how the rule is working on the ground and adjust their approach as needed.
A copy of CDC’s letter to CKC can be viewed here. (Word version)
- CKC’s Response to the CDC Letter
In response, we sent a letter to the CDC and copied the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (who continues to negotiate with the CDC). In our letter, we reiterated to CDC, that CKC member breeders and their low-risk, Canadian-born, CKC-registered dogs should not be adversely impacted while conducting beneficial and accountable breeding practices that have a positive impact on the health, well-being and preservation of purebred dogs. Further, we expressed that we remain concerned that the ban on the importation of dogs under six months of age into the U.S. disproportionately impacts CKC members who responsibly own, train and breed their Canadian born, CKC-registered dogs in Canada. In this respect, we have clarified that unlike high-risk dogs imported for resale, personally owned dogs that are Canadian-born, and CKC-registered, managed by breeders and enthusiasts from birth, are not high-risk, and do not present public health threats posed by importers of unhealthy dogs for resale. We have urged CDC to recognize the unique and low-risk profile of Canadian-born, CKC-registered dogs and grant an exception to the current U.S. import requirement of a 6-month minimum age for dogs.
A copy of CKC’s letter to CDC can be viewed here. (Word version) |
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