Question: People should know that if they are traveling with dogs out of the country, there may be additional CDC requirements on their return to the U.S.
Answer: Tuesday’s Kokua Line column (808ne.ws/26kline) directed readers to a U.S. Department of Agriculture website with an alert about those requirements, but we’ll cover the topic in more detail today, since Tuesday’s column was mainly about quarantine rules for the dogs of visitors stopping over in Hawaii on their way to another country.
As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains on its website, the agency has extended through July 31 its temporary suspension of dogs entering the United States from countries with a high risk of rabies. “This suspension includes dogs arriving from countries without high risk of rabies if the dogs have been in a high-risk country in the past six months,” the website says.
Under this extension, the CDC says that “dogs vaccinated against rabies in the United States by a U.S.- licensed veterinarian may re-enter the United States from a high-risk country without a CDC Dog Import Permit if the dog has a current, valid U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate; has ISO-compatible microchip; is at least six months old; is healthy upon arrival; and arrives at one of the 18 airports with a CDC quarantine station.” Honolulu has such an airport.
The CDC says that “expired U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificates will not be accepted. If the U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate has expired, the dog must get a booster dose outside the United States and meet requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs.”
You can find full instructions on the CDC website, including the specifics for foreign-vaccinated dogs arriving from high-risk countries, additional requirements to bring three or more dogs from high-risk countries, and the list of dozens of high-risk countries. See 808ne.ws/dogtravel or go to aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel and follow the links in the pink “Alert” box.
CDC regulations controlling the entry of dogs into the United States from other countries “apply to all dogs, including puppies and service animals. They also apply whether you are a U.S. citizen, legal U.S. resident, or foreign national,” the agency says, warning that “if you don’t follow CDC’s rules, your dog won’t be allowed to enter the United States. If denied entry, your dog will be sent back to the last country of departure at your expense. Country of departure is where the last trip originated — not where the dog was born or where it lives.”
Travelers also are reminded that they must comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations and the rules of whatever U.S. destination they are entering (Hawaii’s rules are strict, as explained at hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info).
Bottom line for Hawaii residents: Before traveling abroad with your dog, read up well in advance on the rules you’ll need to follow to bring your dog with you, and the rules you’ll need to follow to bring your dog home.
Q: Is anyone still raising money to help that poor teacher who was maimed with acid?
A: Yes, a GoFundMe campaign organized by Sonny Zhang of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Hawaii remains active. It had raised about $164,600 of its $200,000 goal as of Wednesday afternoon, from more than 2,000 donations, according to GoFundMe.com. To donate, go to 808ne.ws/fundhelp or search GoFundMe.com for the campaign titled “Help Needed for a Chemical Attack Victim” organized by Sonny Zhang.
Danying Zhang, a 25-year-old Mandarin-language teacher at Maryknoll School on an educational exchange from China, was critically injured when someone threw a corrosive liquid chemical on her as she walked near Ala Moana Center the night of Jan. 23. A chronically homeless man who police recognized from surveillance video was later arrested and indicted in the attack, which authorities described as random and unprovoked, according to media reports. The suspect had been released on bail for unrelated alleged crimes the day before Zhang was attacked.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
