The Sportsmen\u2019s Alliance filed a lawsuit<\/a> Wednesday against two federal health agencies asking them to rescind a new dog import rule that went into effect Aug. 1. The Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services say the new rule is meant to prevent the reintroduction of dog rabies into the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n The rule<\/a> updates the requirements for all dogs being imported and brought back into the U.S., including additional documentation, mandatory microchipping, and stricter precautions around rabies depending on which country the dog is coming from. It also prohibits the importation of any dog under six months of age into the U.S.<\/p>\n This final piece is one of the biggest sticking points for the Sportsmen\u2019s Alliance, which is joined in its lawsuit by a Canadian dog breeder<\/a> and a several hunting dog owners. They say the blanket puppy ban and all the additional red tape in the feds\u2019 new rule would cripple dog breeders outside the U.S. Although the new rule applies to all dog breeds, these groups say it would be especially problematic for hunting dogs, many of which come from Canada and Europe, as well as for dog owners who frequently travel across international borders to hunt or participate in trials.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHealth certificates or vaccination records for puppies are irrelevant \u2014 puppies are totally banned under the rule,\u201d the Alliance explained in a news release<\/a> about the lawsuit. \u201cThe puppy prohibition also has no exceptions, and this ban will completely crater a thriving community of long-established Canadian sporting dog breeders who send puppies to customers throughout the United States. Similar breeding programs for sporting breeds like Drahtaar (Germany) and Bracco Italiano (Italy) also stand to be decimated.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo by serova ekaterina \/ Adobe Stock<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The group and its supporters say the ban on importing puppies also disrupts the way that owners have traditionally acquired their dogs. The general consensus among veterinarians is that puppies are ready to leave their mothers and be re-homed around 10 to 12 weeks of age. The Canine Health Center at Cornell University<\/a> says eight weeks is a good minimum for most breeders. (It also points out that several states have laws<\/a> that prevent puppies from being sold any earlier.)<\/p>\n When it comes to bird dogs, however, a lot of experts recommend getting your hands on a pup sooner rather than later. The idea is to give a new owner time to bond with their dog before any real training begins. Legendary dog trainer Tom Dokken<\/a>, who wrote the book<\/a> on training and developing retrievers, also says he\u2019s found it easier to start dogs younger when they\u2019re more eager and driven, and before any developmental issues have taken root.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started a two-week bird and gun program [for pups as young as five months] when I started my own business. It\u2019s so much easier to see them at that age,\u201d Dokken told Outdoor Life<\/em> of his philosophy on training younger vs. older dogs in 2022. \u201cThe older they get, the harder it is to access that [prey] drive. If there are social or developmental issues, now\u2019s the time we can actually do something with them [to address it].\u201d <\/p>\n Read Next:<\/strong> How to Train a Duck Dog Throughout His First Hunting Season<\/a><\/p>\n It seems the feds had already gotten some pushback on the rule after they first announced it in May. On July 22, the CDC announced<\/a> that it had \u201cupdated and simplified\u201d the process for dogs coming from countries that have a low risk for rabies.<\/p>\n These tweaks weren\u2019t enough to satisfy the Sportsmen\u2019s Alliance, which announced its intention to file suit<\/a> three days later. The group contends that the rule violates both the Public Health Service Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.<\/p>\n \u201cThis really hurts our members, especially in states like Michigan,\u201d Todd Adkins, the Alliance\u2019s vice president of government affairs, said in late July. \u201cAnd that\u2019s why we\u2019re going to fight it.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo by Erica \/ Adobe Stock<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The CDC has created a guide<\/a> to the new dog import rule, laying out the different requirements for dogs coming from different countries. Hunters and prospective dog owners can look at the CDC\u2019s list of high-risk countries<\/a> to determine the steps they\u2019ll need to take.<\/p>\n Regardless of their country of origin, the CDC says that all dogs imported into the U.S. after Aug. 1 will need a CDC Dog Import Form<\/a> showing they have the proper rabies vaccinations. They also must:<\/p>\n Dogs coming from high-risk countries are subject to additional requirements depending on whether the dog was vaccinated for rabies in the U.S. or elsewhere. Foreign-vaccinated dogs, for example, have to undergo a physical exam and revaccination. These dogs are also subject to a 28-day quarantine if they don\u2019t have bloodwork from a CDC-approved lab showing adequate levels of the antibody that neutralizes rabies.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read Next:<\/strong> The Best Hunting Dogs for Birds, Big and Small Game, and Tracking<\/a><\/p>\n The CDC recommends that owners and breeders start the importation process by getting their paperwork in order at least two to 10 days prior to bringing their dog back into the U.S. or importing a new dog into the country. For dogs coming from high-risk countries, owners and breeders should plan on starting this process weeks or even months earlier, according to the American Animal Hospital Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHow the Rule Affects Hunters and Hunting Dogs<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lab_in_blind_lawsuit_dog_import_rule.jpeg?w=1875\")
\n