URGENT--Defeat CA Rabies Bill AB 2689

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by weeloves06

WE all know if CA passes this then other states will follow. I do not think a yorkie should have rabbies shots until 10-12 months old.

Sorry, I don't know this or believe this in regards to other states following California.

[magicgenie]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

Your comment confuses me...very easy at my age but would you please explain?

I think we have more than enough laws on the books already. With all the problems in the world right now, how is it anybody in government has time to be regulating our pets? I didn't read every single work of the thread but a cursory look made me think it was about passing another law telling us when to vaccinate our dogs. I don't care to have another law about this.

[Rhetts_mama]

I can only speak to GA and my particular county (Forsyth). Here we are required to get the rabies vaccine @ 16 weeks and then again yearly.

I'm all for regulating vaccines, because there are so many inept owners out there that let their dogs roam. However, I have yet to see any studies that show an improved titer response in dogs that receive the vaccines yearly vs. every 3.


Have they done any explanation as to why they think it's going to be an improvement to vaccinate 4 weeks early? Is there an increased number of cases of puppies being exposed prior to 16 weeks?

JMO, it just seems arbitrary to change the schedule without the backing of the Vet Association.

[Kris Christine]

Originally Posted by Rhetts_mama

I can only speak to GA and my particular county (Forsyth). Here we are required to get the rabies vaccine @ 16 weeks and then again yearly. .

Rhetts_mama,

Actually, if you read the Forsyth County ordinance, it allows you to have the 3 year vaccine.

Forsyth Countyhttp://www.forsythco.com/pdf/files/A...NAL%208709.pdf

"Vaccinate, inoculate shall mean the injection of a specified dose of anti-rabies vaccine by a veterinarian into the proper site of an animal, such vaccine having the U.S. Department of Agriculture Veteirnary Biologics Control Section license number approval stamped on the label of the container and having been approved by the Georgia Department of Human Resources."


GEORGIA --http://www.health.state.ga.us/pdfs/epi/zvbd/Rabies%20Manual%202007%20Final%20with%20Cover.pdf which states as follows:

Currently Vaccinated Against Rabies -- An animal is "currently vaccinated" adn is considered immunized against rabies if a vaccination certificate documents that the animal received a USDA-approved primary rabies vaccine from a licensed veterinarian at least 28 days previously and that booster vaccinations have been administered on an annual or triennial schedule, in accordance with the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control (see pages 50-60) or as described on the vaccine label.

[Kris Christine]

UPDATE AB 2689: Assembly Member Smyth's Chief of Staff, Kevin O'Neill sent me the following in an e-mail 4/19/10 regarding AB 2689 indicating that although they did withdraw the change requiring puppies that be vaccinated at 3 months in "rabies areas," they would not strike authorization for the State Health Officer to impose annual rabies vaccinations. Thanks to all of the pet owners who took time to contact the Committee members, there has been a partial victory. In order to remove the authorization given to the State Health Officer to impose annual rabies vaccinations in "rabies areas," a new bill will need to be introduced in the next legislative session.

From Mr. O'Neill's e-mail: "The main intent of AB 2689 was to modernize the code to make the flow of rabies vaccinations between owners and local governments more efficient. The only reason we had originally agreed to place the age change from 4 to 3 months for rabies vaccinations in the bill was because it was sold to us as conformity language that would bring California in line with the rest of the country. Once we realized that this piece was controversial and that a lot of disagreement exists about whether changing the age to 3 months is appropriate, we decided to drop that from the bill because our main interest is simply in modernizing the code.

Likewise, changing existing and long standing code regarding the frequency of vaccinations is another controversial issue and is such a large issue that it should really be in a bill on its own, not in a bill aimed at modernizing the code. I would have offered the same advice regarding changing the age of vaccination from 4 to 3 months had I known that significant controversy surrounded that issue. "

[Rhetts_mama]

Originally Posted by Kris Christine

Rhetts_mama,

Actually, if you read the Forsyth County ordinance, it allows you to have the 3 year vaccine.

Forsyth Countyhttp://www.forsythco.com/pdf/files/A...NAL%208709.pdf

"Vaccinate, inoculate shall mean the injection of a specified dose of anti-rabies vaccine by a veterinarian into the proper site of an animal, such vaccine having the U.S. Department of Agriculture Veteirnary Biologics Control Section license number approval stamped on the label of the container and having been approved by the Georgia Department of Human Resources."


GEORGIA --http://www.health.state.ga.us/pdfs/epi/zvbd/Rabies%20Manual%202007%20Final%20with%20Cover.pdf which states as follows:

Currently Vaccinated Against Rabies -- An animal is "currently vaccinated" adn is considered immunized against rabies if a vaccination certificate documents that the animal received a USDA-approved primary rabies vaccine from a licensed veterinarian at least 28 days previously and that booster vaccinations have been administered on an annual or triennial schedule, in accordance with the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control (see pages 50-60) or as described on the vaccine label.

Wow! Thank you for that. I'm going to take it to my vet and show it to her. She's the one who told me it had to be yearly. I wonder if they have to give a different vaccine to get the 3 year exemption or if the standard one will cover it.

[Kris Christine]

Donna,

I would call the vet's office and ask for a copy of my dog's records. Check to see which rabies vaccine they last gave your yorkie -- if it was a 3 year vaccine, then you should request (demand) a 3 year certificate. However, if the vaccine used was a 1 year rabies vaccine, you will be required to have it boostered again in 1 year. If that is the case, make sure the next vaccine is the 3 year and that you receive a 3 year rabies certificate.