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Originally Posted by lily's mom Just so you don't think I am just being stubborn about vaccinations I thought I might add a few reasons I will continue.
A few mornings ago I woke up to find a dead bat in my front yard. Bats are HUGE rabies carries. I quickly removed it so that Lily or none of my cats could feast on it. I am pretty sure one of my cats caught it and brought home anyway. We have regular late night dinner guest that is an oppussum. He feeds on the cat food. The cats don't mind him but if for some reason Lily was ever out pottying in the middle of the night I am sure she would try to take him on. Just becaue it is wild doesn't mean that it has rabies but it certainly could get it at any time.
I live in a rural area at it is so common for any creature to wonder it to my yard. There are tons of homeless dogs and cats that wonder in to everyone's yard to eat whatever they can find. They can be and probably are carrying a variety of diseases. This is why I think it is important for me to personnally continue to keep shots up to date.
It is also a law to have a rabies shot where I live. If your dog gets loose and is picked up, it will not be released to you without proof of a rabies shot or until it receives one from the local vet. |
You have made the right decisions for you and your dog and I would never argue with that or call you stubborn. You have made informed and educated decisions.
My dogs do not go outside unless they are on a leash and with me or someone else. My groomer comes to my house and I never board my dogs. I accept the risks associated with going to the dog park and the vet's office as most diseases they would get are curable. There has not been a case of rabies in my community since the 1960s. If my dog bit someone they would be released ot my care and proof of rabies would be required and I would at that point have to give my dog a rabies vaccine. I would also have to pay a small fine. The chances of that set of circumstance occurring is slim to nil but I am aware that it could. I had two vets tell me they would put my dog down if it bit someone without being vaccinated!! That is absolutely FALSE!!! The law clearly states that they cannot destroy the animal unless it actually tests positive for rabies.