(Radio Iowa) It’s said a dog can be a man’s best friend, but a dog can also be a family’s worst enemy if they’re adopting an animal and don’t know about its origins and full medical history. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s introducing a bill called the Healthy Dog Importation Act which aims to keep a closer eye on the million-plus dogs that are brought into the U-S every year.

Grassley says this kind of vigilance on biosecurity is important to maintain for Iowa’s livestock producers, and it’s equally important for potential pet owners.

He says more needs to be done at the federal level to shield our country’s residents from an array of infectious diseases that can be transmitted to people by canines.

The C-D-C has released a list of dozens of countries that are considered “high risk” for the importing of dogs.