Senate Approves Durbin Amendment Requiring More Stringent Safety Standards For Imported Puppies

December 14, 2007 -- [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that legislation he offered to require all dogs imported to the U.S. for resale be properly vaccinated and in good health was included in the 2007 Farm Bill passed by the full Senate this afternoon.

Buyers and veterinarians report that imported puppies suffer from higher than normal incidences of pneumonia, parvovirus, rabies, ringworm and severe congenital defects.

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“Currently, the system can only issue warnings against foreign puppy mills that import dogs that are too young and too weak to fight off diseases during long-distance transport,” said Durbin. “We hope that today’s Senate passed Farm Bill will change that by requiring all dogs imported to the United States be at least six months old, properly vaccinated and in good health.”

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) requires importers to confine animals until they are old enough to be vaccinated, approximately 3 months of age, and for 30 days after vaccination. Yet, according to CDC, a significant number of puppies imported to the U.S. from countries including Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Columbia and Mexico are shipped at 8 weeks of age or younger, before their immune systems are developed and before they can be safely vaccinated, increasing the likelihood that puppies have contagious diseases, are infested with parasites, and are too young to be weaned. The CDC lacks the staff, law enforcement powers and resources to ensure each shipment is safe.

Durbin’s bill strengthens the minimum health requirements for commercial imports of live dogs destined for resale and provides USDA APHIS with enforcement authority. The amendment requires dogs entering the United States for resale to be at least 6 months of age, properly vaccinated and in good health. Violations would be subject to the enforcement mechanisms in the Animal Welfare Act.

The bill is supported by The Humane Society of the United States, The American Kennel Club, and The American Veterinary Medical Association.

Source: Senator Dick Durbin