posted February 24, 2004
In March the Hamilton County Health Department will announce the dates and locations for its so-called “low-cost” rabies clinics for cat and dog owners. I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is the Health Department’s position that animals must have yearly rabies shots. The public is being shortchanged when it is not being informed about 3-year vaccines, which are now being routinely administered across the country.
I also question why the Health Department, Local Veterinarians, and the Humane Educational Society aren’t getting in step. Could it be because there’s money to be made with the status quo? The vaccines cost less than three dollars each, yet a rabies shot has a $10 price tag. Following is information that I hope will generate your interest in probing this issue.
On Tuesday, February 10, 2004, Jim Parks, Director of Environmental Health Services for the Hamilton County Department of Health, was a speaker at the monthly meeting of the Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association. He had a written statement from the Health Dept. in which he suggests, on behalf of the Health Dept, that all animals get rabies vaccinations once a year, because studies have shown that owners are more likely to forget to re-vaccinate if they go more than a year between vaccinations. He did not quote specific studies. I find it interesting that as the legality of 3-year rabies vaccinations becomes clear to the public, the Hamilton County Health Department makes this suggestion. It is also interesting that the Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Educational Society run the annual rabies clinics for the public.
At a meeting of the HES Board of Directors meeting on the same day, Executive Director Guy Bilyeu indicated that he was working with the media to publicize the licensing and vaccination requirements for dogs and cats. I told him that there is some confusion over whether rabies vaccinations are required to be done annually and suggested that he be certain that the media had the correct information. Dr. Randy Hammond, D.V.M., and HES board member, said that annual rabies vaccination was a requirement of the Hamilton County Rabies Control Board. When I pointed out that neither the State of Tennessee nor the City of Chattanooga required annual vaccination and that some Hamilton County veterinarians already administer a 3-yr. rabies vaccine, Dr. Hammond stuck to his previous statement. When I asked if this was a recommendation, an ordinance, a code or a regulation, all Dr. Hammond could say was that the County Health Department had the authority to regulate the requirement for frequency of rabies vaccination.
While it is true that state law grants counties and/or municipalities the authority to set stricter standards for vaccination, the fact is that Hamilton County has no ordinance or code that requires annual revaccination. As you can see from the excerpts of Chattanooga ordinances, Hamilton County recommendations and State of Tennessee laws and rules, there is nothing requiring annual rabies re-vaccination. On the contrary, both City and State have wording that specifically permits 3-yr. re-vaccination intervals once an initial vaccination, followed by a booster one year later, have been administered.
I find it interesting that vaccination protocols around the country are changing, and the positions taken by the Hamilton County Department of Health, Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association, and The Humane Educational Society run contrary to both the law and currently- recognized vaccination protocol.
In support of that argument I offer the following:
- All 27 veterinary schools in North America are changing their vaccination protocols.
- The American Animal Hospital Association issued new vaccination guidelines in 2003:
- The AAHA taskforce recommends that the adult dog receive rabies; canine parvovirus vaccine; canine adenovirus type-2 (hepatitis vaccine) and distemper vaccines every three years.
- “The caveat to the recommendation,” says Dr. Richard Ford, on the AAHA taskforce and professor of medicine at North Carolina State University, “is that there is good evidence that the protection conferred on adult dogs by both canine distemper and canine parvovirus exceeds five years.” Three years seemed a conservative, happy medium for all parties involved, according to the taskforce.
- The canine guidelines are “much less controversial” than the previously released feline vaccination guidelines,” says Dr. Ron Schultz, veterinary immunologist at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and member of the taskforce “It’s hard to believe it’d be controversial to any DVM who’s lived on earth for the past year or two. You’d have to be from outer space if you haven’t heard about the issues.”
- “There are some corporate policies among these conglomerates of veterinary practices in the country. They have standard policies that all dogs get all licensed vaccines every year. We’re saying that’s wrong. Don’t do that,” says Dr. Richard Ford.
- The American Veterinary Medical association released it own position statement highlighting prudent use of vaccines late last year.
Representatives of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department say there are about 300,000 dogs and cats in Hamilton County but only about 48,000 have gotten their rabies shots.
If the Hamilton County Department of Health, the Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Educational Society really want to protect the public from rabies and ensure that more dogs are vaccinated, why don’t they reduce the cost of the vaccinations ($10.00 rabies shots are no bargain) at their clinics, and offer 3-year vaccinations?
There is also a simple way to remind the public when vaccinations are due, and it’s used in many other areas. Simply issue tags with the year the vaccine expires, instead of the year it was administered. This is how we are reminded to renew our driver’s license and our vehicle’s license plates. Why wouldn’t the same process work for rabies vaccinations?
THE LAW
CITY OF CHATTANOOGA
Sec. 7-33. License fees.
The annual license fee for dogs and/or cats shall be five dollars ($5.00) each; provided, that a surcharge of an additional five dollars ($5.00) shall be levied against all dogs and cats which are not neutered. The license can be issued for one (1) year or three (3) years as long as it runs concurrent with a legal rabies vaccination. Licenses for animals owned by senior citizens over age sixty-five (65) that are neutered or for animals unable to reproduce (as certified by a licensed veterinarian) shall be free as long as current on rabies vaccinations. The Animal Shelter is authorized to charge a fee of three dollars ($3.00) for each lost tag replaced.
Sec. 7-35. Inoculation required.
Any person who owns keeps or harbors a dog or cat within the City shall have such dog or cat properly inoculated or immunized against rabies. Any person who obtains an uninoculated dog or cat shall at once have such dog or cat properly inoculated against rabies and have the first time inoculation repeated one (1) year thereafter; thereafter the duration of the rabies vaccination cannot exceed three (3) years and must be in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendation provided that, dogs and cats need not be inoculated before reaching the age of three (3) months.
HAMILTON COUNTY
According to David Hunter, Program Manager, Rabies Control, Hamilton County Department of Health, the Environmental Health Office, they recommend that animals be vaccinated annually. They use a one-year vaccine at all the low-cost rabies clinics. By vaccinating annually they feel it keeps it on peoples minds – they are less likely to forget when their pet is to be revaccinated. He did say that they would follow state law. He also said that they would honor a three year certificate.
The following is the only thing the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department, Environmental Health Services has on their website:
Rabies Program
“The Environmental Health Office has the responsibility of rabies control in Hamilton County. Procedures found in the Hamilton County Rabies Protocol are followed. Any animal bites should be reported to the Environmental Health Office (local emergency rooms and physicians’ offices send the bite reports via fax or by calling the office). The information is logged on an animal bite form then followed up with phone calls to the victim and owner of the animal. If the animal is a pet, it is confined for a 10-day observation period. If the animal is a wild animal, i.e., raccoon, opossum, etc., and can be retrieved; it will be taken to the Humane Society. The Humane Society will euthanize the animal and prepare to bring to the Environmental Health Office to be sent to the lab for testing for rabies.”
Rabies Clinics
“Once a year in the spring, the Environmental Health Office works with the Veterinary Association to coordinate the Rabies Clinics. The clinics are set up all throughout the County and are held on two weekends to give pet owners an opportunity to make sure their pets have annual rabies shot.”
STATE OF TENNESSEE
68-8-104. Vaccination and registration of dogs and cats - Certificates - Fees – Rabies control fund - Penalty.
(a) (1) It is unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor any dog or cat which has not been vaccinated against rabies as required by this chapter or by the rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of this chapter.
2) (A) Evidence of such vaccination shall consist of a certificate bearing the owner's name and address, number of the vaccination tag issued, date of vaccination, date the dog or cat shall be revaccinated, description and sex of the dog or cat vaccinated, type and lot number of vaccine administered and the signature of the person administering the vaccine.
(B) The certificate shall be prepared in triplicate; the original shall be given to the owner, the first copy filed in the office of the local health department and the second copy retained by the person administering the vaccine.
(C) The rabies certificate form shall be provided by the state department of health or by a licensed veterinarian. (3) All vaccinations shall be administered by or under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed by the state board of veterinary medical examiners to practice veterinary medicine in this state.
68-8-107. Rabies tag must be worn.
Every dog owner shall attach a metal tag or other evidence of vaccination to a collar which shall be worn at all times by the dog vaccinated; provided, that the collar may be removed in the case of hunting dogs while in chase or returning from the chase. But nothing herein shall be construed as permitting the use of an unvaccinated dog in either the hunt or chase.
68-8-105. Commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations.
It is the duty of the commissioner of health to promulgate such rules and regulations pertaining to the vaccination of dogs against rabies as may be deemed necessary for the proper enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
1200-14-1-33 Rabies vaccination schedule of dogs and cats (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Health)
It shall be the duty of every owner to have his dog or cat vaccinated against rabies after the dog reaches three months of age, the cat six months of age. Regardless of the type of licensed vaccine used or the age of the animal at the time of the first (primary vaccination, the animal shall be revaccinated one year later. Following the first two vaccinations, booster vaccinations will be due at either one or three-year intervals in accordance with the approved duration of immunity of the specific vaccine used and the species vaccinated. The required due date for the revaccination shall be placed on the certificate by the veterinarian administering the vaccine. As part of their registration and rabies control program, local jurisdictions may have more stringent requirements, such as annual rabies vaccination regardless of vaccine type used. For purposes of animal control programs and medical decisions regarding human anti-rabies treatments, a dog or cat shall be considered currently vaccinated only if a valid certificate exists and the revaccination date on the certificate has not been reached.
Michael Stumpff
Tennessee Valley Cattle Dog Rescue
Chattanooga
mstumpff@yahoo.com
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