HR 1184 United States House · 118th Congress

Healthy Dog Importation Act

This bill establishes new health and identification requirements for importing live dogs into the U.S. Importers must provide veterinary certification proving dogs are healthy, vaccinated, treated for parasites, and permanently identified (e.g., microchipped), with documentation from accredited veterinarians. Dogs imported for transfer (sale, adoption, etc.) must be at least 6 months old and accompanied by a Secretary-issued permit. Limited exceptions exist for research, veterinary treatment (with quarantine), and Hawaii-specific puppy imports under state regulations, with regulations to be finalized within 18 months. The bill repeals a prior section of the Animal Welfare Act and strengthens enforcement through penalties for noncompliance.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Feb 24, 2023 Last action Mar 22, 2023