The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) argued its case challenging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) unlawful and arbitrary puppy ban before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio. The arguments were heard in front of a panel of three judges. Audio of the arguments can be listened to here.

“We’re grateful that the court granted us the opportunity to argue before the panel, and we thank the judges for their time and thoughtful questions,” said Michael Jean, Litigation Counsel for SAF. “We look forward to getting the decision from the court and continuing the fight for our members in this case.”

As previously reported, CDC’s puppy ban took effect in August 2024 prohibiting all dogs under the age of six months and dogs without implanted microchips from entering the country. CDC implemented the ban under the guise of preventing the introduction of rabies to the United States. It professes that the age limitation ensures that dogs entering the country are old enough to have been inoculated for rabies, and the microchip will verify that the inoculation paperwork matches the dog. But CDC does not require dogs coming from places without rabies, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, to be inoculated, which defeats the purpose of the age and microchip requirements.

SAF immediately sued, and asked the district court to enjoin the CDC from enforcing the ban. After months of briefing and arguments—and an announcement from CDC that it would be reconsidering the ban—the district court denied the injunction in April 2025. SAF appealed that denial to the Sixth Circuit and finished briefing the case in September. The oral argument was the final phase of the appeal, and we expect the Court to hand down a decision in the coming months.

“This appeal and argument is just another example of how we fight for hunters, trappers, and anglers across the nation,” said Torin Miller, Associate Litigation Counsel for SAF. “We hope the Sixth Circuit agrees that CDC went too far here, and that hunters, field trialers, and others will soon be able to freely travel with and import sporting puppies again.”

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 and gun-control advocates. Present and future generations are depending on your willingness to fight to protect the future of hunting, fishing, and trapping.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.