Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation argues lawfulness of CDC’s puppy ban

SAF Release

Grand Rapids, Mich. — On December 19, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation presented oral arguments to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in support of its request to preliminarily enjoin recent dog-import restrictions imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.

“This case has far-reaching implications for dog owners across the country, and our members are being harmed by the CDC’s unlawful restrictions on importing puppies and reentering the country with young family pets,” said Michael Jean, litigation counsel for the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “Multiple courts, including the Supreme Court, have ruled that the CDC’s authority to make rules of this type is limited, yet the CDC still seems to have missed the memo. Today was a critical step in delivering that message.”

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Oral arguments on the preliminary injunction were delivered just days after the CDC announced a forthcoming notice of proposed rulemaking to potentially change the dog import rule to its regulatory agenda. The notice indicates that CDC may propose revisions to the requirements for the importation of dogs. Still, CDC continues to defend its unlawful rulemaking, despite seemingly second-guessing the regulations that it just put in place in August 2024.

“We’re confident that our multiple pleadings not only show that CDC’s dog-import rule is unlawful, but that a preliminary junction is necessary and proper to stop the harm our members are experiencing as a result,” said Torin Miller, associate litigation counsel for the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “The court came well prepared, and we appreciated the thoughtful questions asked by the judge.”

The magistrate judge will prepare a report and recommendation on the preliminary injunction, and SAF expects a decision this month.

The case will then proceed to determine the lawfulness of the rulemaking.