Truck drivers say US border rules on dogs are flawed – Winnipeg Free Press

When truck driver Devi Gershbain hauls cargo to the U.S., she has her trusty sidekicks, Ever and Radar, in the cab.

Gershbain, who has been a truck driver for 36 years, crosses the border as many as eight times a month.

She worries that new U.S. regulations that go into effect Aug. 1 will force her — and other truck drivers — to keep their beloved companions at home.

“I’m afraid for some truck drivers, especially older guys — they’ve got this little old dog and everything — and now they’ve got to go through all this,” Gershbain said at her home in St. Vital, with Ever and Radar at her feet.

He is also involved in dog shows and has been taking his Shar-Pei to competitions in the US since 2007.

The rules, implemented by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., impose strict guidelines for dogs to enter: they must be at least six months old, microchipped and have valid veterinary records. In addition, the CDC Dog Import Form must be completed online, preferably two to 10 days before arrival.

The form requires a clear photo of the dog and information such as the port of entry through which the owner and dog will be entering. The rules apply to all dogs, including service dogs and U.S.-born dogs re-entering the country.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance reports that some fleets estimate that more than 20 per cent of their drivers travel with their dogs. Not all companies allow dogs in their trucks, but Portage Transport, which employs Gershbain, does.

He fears that companies will ban dogs if too many truck drivers are turned away for not having the correct papers for their animals, disrupting the flow of goods.

At Gershbain’s workplace, if a truck reaches the border and is turned around, the driver is responsible for delivering the load back, is not paid for it and is subject to late payment penalties.

“Owning a dog is a privilege, not a right, but for some of us it’s a condition of employment,” Gershbain said. “My dogs are my family.”

“Owning a dog is a privilege, not a right, but for some of us it is a condition of employment.”-Devi Gershbain

Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, said he would like to see the change delayed by at least a month to allow more time for education and preparation for dog owners.

The Canadian association expressed its concerns to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on behalf of provincial trucking associations.

Dolyniuk said the crackdown is frustrating because it is based on reducing the risk of rabies, but Canada is considered a low-risk country for rabies in dogs. The federal government says rabies in dogs does not occur in the country.

The extra steps complicate an already complicated process for truckers crossing the border. He understands that dogs are essential for drivers who are on the road more than they are at home.

“I think how great it would be to have a dog with me on the road if I were a truck driver,” Dolyniuk said. “We want to provide truck drivers with the best quality of life possible. For some of them, that means taking their dog with them.”

Gershbain said some truck drivers keep dogs in the cab for protection, but most do it for companionship because the job can be lonely.

“I don’t do it for protection at all. I don’t feel lonely on the road,” she said. “A lot of drivers feel lonely. It’s literally all they have.”

Because Gershbain’s dogs are in the show community, they have been microchipped. It is common practice in the industry to microchip them when the puppy is eight weeks old.

For her, it’s a hobby, but for others it’s a way of making a living, which can be affected by regulations.

Gershbain believes the new rules will be difficult at first, but will become natural to her and others once they become familiar with them.

She has spoken to her veterinarian about the changes and is keeping up with the CDC website. Gershbain said the site “changes constantly.”

Gershbain’s vet, Jonas Watson, said it has historically been “fairly easy” to travel with dogs between Canada and the U.S. The new rules mean more boxes to tick and will be “onerous” for vets and owners.

Watson, co-owner of Grant Park Animal Hospital and former president of the National Veterinary Medical Association, said some people might give up traveling with their dogs altogether. For others, it would be irritating.

“This is an attempt to solve a problem that largely does not exist,” Watson said. “I think it’s an overreaction and an overreaction on the part of the CDC in the U.S., and I suspect that a lot of that severity will be relaxed as agencies begin to realize how difficult it is to meet these requirements.”

Mandatory microchips are another obstacle to that plan, Watson said. Every dog ​​must be up to date on its rabies vaccinations, but not every dog ​​is microchipped, he said.

Watson said he worries about the impact the regulations will have on animal welfare around the world, as well as on Canadians who travel with their dogs for work, like Gershbain.

In Manitoba, from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2024, there were 134 reported cases of rabies in wild and domesticated animals.

During that time, 81 cases were confirmed in striped skunks and 12 in dogs, according to provincial rabies surveillance data.

In 2024, there was one positive case of rabies in a dog.

Watson said rabies is a serious disease, but most cases involve wild animals, not domestic animals.

“You can stop all the people with dogs in station wagons, but foxes, wolves, skunks — they don’t know international borders and no one will look for their passports.”

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