Stop the Ban!
On June 14, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a blanket decision to suspend the importation of dogs from 113 countries due to an alleged risk of rabies. This ban also affected US service men and women, diplomats, and government contractors who adopted dogs overseas and wanted to bring them home.
I understand it is the CDC’s responsibility to keep all animals and Americans healthy and safe, and the reputable rescue organizations affected by this ban share the same goal. However, this ban is an overreach and is not supported by the CDC’s actual rabies data. In the ban, the CDC itself admits that there is a “minuscule chance” of a dog arriving in America with rabies. Since 2016, there have only been four reported cases among the thousands upon thousands of dogs that have entered the country.
Dogs like Ernie Bert and Limerick who come from legitimate agencies are compliant with government regulations. They are vaccinated for rabies and receive additional mandatory vaccinations and health screenings. They are regularly tested by veterinarians, have proper import permits, and are approved by the USDA before entering the country.
The international rescues need your help. They need the CDC to issue an exemption to the ban for the legitimate, non-profit rescue organizations who follow all the USDA guidelines and are committed to continuing to work with the CDC to ensure only healthy dogs are imported into the United States.
Leaving these dogs overseas is a death sentence.
