The Healthy Dog Importation Act amends the Animal Health Protection Act to significantly strengthen regulations for the importation of live dogs into the United States. Its primary goal is to ensure that all imported dogs meet specific health and age standards, thereby protecting animal welfare and public health. The bill outlines detailed requirements for documentation, veterinary certification, and identification that must be met before a dog can enter the country. Specifically, the bill mandates that imported dogs must be in good health , have received all necessary vaccinations and parasite treatments , and show negative test results, all verified by an accredited veterinarian. For dogs intended for transfer , they must be at least six months old and accompanied by an import permit issued by the Secretary. All dogs must also be officially identified by a permanent method approved by the Secretary. The legislation provides certain exceptions to these requirements, such as for returning U.S. personal pets, military working dogs, or dogs imported for research. The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to promulgate comprehensive regulations within 18 months, in consultation with other federal agencies, to implement and enforce these new standards. These regulations will cover electronic documentation, post-arrival verification, and the establishment of a centralized database for veterinary certificates. Furthermore, the bill grants the Secretary authority to deny entry to non-compliant dogs and imposes penalties on importers or import transporters who violate the provisions. These penalties can include financial sanctions and responsibility for the care, forfeiture, or removal of non-compliant dogs. During the transition period until new regulations are finalized, existing Animal Welfare Act regulations for dog importation will remain in effect, provided they do not conflict with this Act.