Thank you for this warning story. Here in Washington State and British Columbia there must be a lot of dogs that cross the border many times a year with their owners, whether visiting family, or going to second homes or recreational destinations on both sides of the border.
Particularly burdensome for Canadians wth dogs vaccinated for rabies in Canada is the proposed requirement that the certification of vaccination and an examination by a vet (saying the dog is healthy) cannot be more than 30 days old at the time of entry. For families with weekend and recreational properties that cross the border often this will be a logistical burden and a significant cost - potentially a monthly visit to the vet for the exam and certificate.
Reading the statistics - only one case of rabies on average every two years in the United States due to dog bite, and no statistic showing the origin of the dogs concerned were from outside the United States (rabies has domestic reservoirs in many species of wild animals transmissible to dogs), one has to wonder why the CDC would impose such onerous protections where almost no risk appears to exist from dogs that have been vaccinated within Canada and the United States.
The burden on Customs and Border Protection, the paperwork, the expense, and the advance planning required will be a particular burden on many families who do not travel without their four-legged family members in tow. There must be many thousands of frequent border crossers who will be affected - and against what risk?
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