Effective Thursday August 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires that all dogs entering or re-entering the United States from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries, like the Cayman Islands, must now have a completed CDC Dog Import form, and the passenger accompanying the dog must be able to provide airline staff with a copy of their submission receipt upon check-in for their U.S. flight at Owen Roberts International Airport.

Additionally, the CDC requires that all dogs travelling to the United States must also meet the following conditions:

• Dogs must be in good health upon arrival in the U.S.
• Dogs must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry or return to the United States
• Dogs must have a microchip that can be read by a universal microchip scanner for identification purposes

The CDC recommends completing the newly required form several days before travel, and further advise that it can be completed in less than five minutes at no charge. The CDC system generates a receipt for travel from rabies free or low risk countries within minutes and will be valid for six (6) months from the date of issuance, including for multiple entries into the United States.

Important note for passengers:

• Upon check-in at the airport, Cayman Airways agents must verify that the passenger has the CDC Dog Import Form receipt (in print or electronically).
• Passengers will be responsible for housing, caring for, and repatriating any animals that are denied entry to the United States.

The imposition of these new requirements follows months of negotiations between the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the CDC to arrive at reasonable requirements to facilitate both the convenience of pet transport and ensuring the necessary safety procedures. These negotiations are ongoing, with the above temporary arrangement only being agreed to a few days ago, and depending on the outcome of these negotiations, transportation of dogs to the United States could change significantly in the months ahead. Cayman Airways will provide the latest details on dog transport as they become available.