TUESDAY, June 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- The United States has suspended imports of dogs from more than 100 countries where there's a high rabies risk.
A number of factors influenced the decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the COVID-19 pandemic, too few facilities to quarantine dogs safely and three recent incidents where rabies-infected dogs were brought into the country, CNN reported.
"This suspension applies to all dogs, including puppies, emotional support dogs, and dogs that traveled out of the United States and are returning from a high-risk country," the CDC said in a statement.
The agency said dog rescue missions, imports from dog breeders and people bringing in pets will be affected by the decision, CNN reported.
"If these dogs coming from high-risk countries haven't been properly vaccinated, there is a risk they could bring it into the country," Dr. Emily Pieracci, a veterinary medical officer in CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, told CNN.
"I think it is important to stress that this is a temporary suspension. We recognize that this is not the long-term solution," she said, with the initial suspension likely to be 12 months.
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