The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and advocate for all dogs, is pleased to express strong support and gratitude for the introduction of the Healthy Dog Importation Act of 2020 in the U.S. House of Representatives today.
The organization would like to thank Congressmen Ralph Abraham (LA-5), Ted Yoho (FL-3), and Kurt Schrader (OR-5) for sponsoring this bipartisan legislation that will ensure all dogs imported into the United States are fully immunized; free of infection, parasites and contagious diseases; and are individually certified as such by an accredited veterinarian.
“AKC is grateful for Representatives Abraham, Schrader and Yoho’s leadership in sponsoring the Healthy Dog Importation Act,” said AKC President & CEO, Dennis Sprung. “In the last several years, zoonotic diseases such as rabies, canine influenza and distemper have been carried into the U.S. by dogs imported without basic veterinary checks or valid health certificates. With an estimated one million dogs entering the U.S. annually, this represents a ticking time bomb for animal and public health. The basic health certifications that this bill requires for every dog imported will protect the health and wellbeing of all dogs in our nation – and the humans who care for them.”
The AKC also thanks the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) for their long-time leadership on the issue and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for their support.
As our country works diligently to end the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent the spread of other zoonotic diseases, this legislation is an important step in addressing concerns about recent documented incidents of unhealthy dogs being brought into the U.S.
For more information, visit the AKC Government Relations Pet and Public Health pages.