Sixth Circuit Upholds CDC Puppy Import Rule

Court says 6-month age minimum for imported puppies falls within agency's public health authority

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has upheld the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's policy requiring imported puppies to be at least 6 months old, ruling that the age minimum falls within the agency's authority to protect public health.

Why it matters

The CDC implemented the puppy import rule to help prevent the spread of diseases that can be transmitted from dogs to humans. This ruling affirms the agency's ability to enforce the regulation, which has faced legal challenges from groups arguing it creates unnecessary barriers to pet ownership.

The details

A three-judge panel based in Cincinnati found the lower court properly rejected a preliminary injunction motion that would have paused enforcement of the rule until the US Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation resolved its legal challenge with the CDC. The court said the agency's 'age and microchip requirements are statutorily authorized either as 'inspection[s]' or 'other measures' to protect public health.

  • The CDC implemented the puppy import rule in 2022.

The players

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

The federal appeals court based in Cincinnati, Ohio that upheld the CDC's puppy import rule.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. federal agency responsible for protecting public health and safety, which implemented the 6-month age minimum for imported puppies.

US Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation

The organization that filed a legal challenge against the CDC's puppy import rule, arguing it creates unnecessary barriers to pet ownership.

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What they’re saying

“The CDC asserts that the age and microchip requirements are statutorily authorized either as 'inspection[s]' or 'other measures'”

— Judge John K. Bush, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

What’s next

The US Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation may appeal the Sixth Circuit's ruling to the Supreme Court.

The takeaway

This decision affirms the CDC's authority to implement public health measures, like the puppy import rule, that aim to prevent the spread of diseases, even if those measures face legal challenges from groups arguing they create barriers to pet ownership.