Today, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) appealed a court order denying it a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcing its puppy ban.
In August, the CDC banned dogs under six months old and dogs without implanted microchips from entering—and in some cases, reentering—the country. Not only does this deprive sportsmen of the opportunity to purchase quality sporting breeds, but it means that they cannot return with their dogs from their next trial or hunting trip across the border.
This ban was implemented under the same statute that CDC used to suspend evictions and require masking on airplanes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the COVID regulations, this ban was also implemented with flimsy justifications. In this case, the ban is purportedly needed to prevent the introduction of rabies and reduce fraudulent pet importations. But the ban applies to countries that the CDC has declared to be rabies free, and nobody is actually checking for fraudulent entries. This is rulemaking for the sake of rulemaking.
SAF immediately sued, and asked the court to preliminary enjoin the CDC form enforcing the ban. After months of briefing and arguments—and an announcement from CDC that it would be reconsidering the ban—the court denied the injunction in April 2025.
“We respectfully disagree with the court’s conclusion that the law authorizes the ban and that CDC engaged in reasoned decisionmaking,” said Michael Jean, Litigation Counsel for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “So we’re asking the Sixth Circuit court of Appeals to reverse the denial.” Sportsmen have been bullied long enough by animal extremists, and the Sportsmen’s Alliance will not allow it to happen any longer. Join us or donate to the Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund to help stand up against the relentless assault on our values and lifestyle by animal extremists. Present and future generations are depending on your willingness to fight to protect the future of hunting, fishing, and trapping.
Read the full article here
