# Delaware sb 147 action alert



## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

*DELAWARE* Senator Karen E. Peterson has filed SB 147 http://legis.delaware.gov/lis/lis146.nsf/vwlegislation/SB+147 *"This Bill creates a disciplinary action if a veterinarian gives vaccines in excess of the recommended dosages and/or frequencies."* The bill has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee.

*What You Can Do to Help:**

Contact Senate Agriculture Committee Chair George Bunting [email protected] (302) 744-4286* & the members below and ask them to vote that *SB 147 "OUGHT TO PASS."**

*Chair George Bunting [email protected] (302) 744-4286
Joseph W. Booth [email protected] (302) 744-4117
Bruce C. Ennis [email protected] (302) 744-4310
F. Gary Simpson [email protected] (302) 744-4134
Robert L. Venables [email protected] (302) 744-4298


*PERMISSION GRANTED TO CROSS-POST*


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

*States Consider Controlling Rabies Vaccination Intervals, *by Edie Lau _The Veterinary Information Network News Service _ 8/12/11 http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=19501 "Concerns in Delaware and Minnesota about over-vaccination center around the practice by some small-animal veterinarians of administering every one or two years rabies vaccines that have been proven to be effective for three years."


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

*DELAWARE *Rabies Bill SB 236 passed 6/30/12 http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS146.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+236?Opendocument with insertion of underlined language in the bill text below to prevent veterinarians from issuing 1 or 2 year rabies certificates when a 3 year vaccine is administered.


Text: http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis146.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+236/$file/legis.html?open "The veterinarian administering the vaccine shall complete the certificate specifying accurately the manufacturer’s specifications of the duration of immunity of the rabies vaccination used ...."


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

What will we face next!


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

Howard Gaines III said:


> What will we face next!


It shouldn't be much of a challenge for veterinarians to issue rabies certificates which accurately reflect the expiration date of the rabies vaccine given, although this bill was introduced because some Delaware veterinarians were routinely issuing 1 year rabies certificates after administering a 3 year shot.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Why create a new law? Just enforce what is here through the Dept. of Ag.


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Why create a new law? Just enforce what is here through the Dept. of Ag.


 This law makes it mandatory that veterinarians give rabies certificates which *accurately* reflect the expiration date of the rabies vaccine administered. The bill was introduced by Sen. Karen Peterson on behalf of Diane Meier, whose 5 year old beagle died after receiving an annual rabies booster. When she checked her dog's medical records, she discovered that her vet had been administering her dog a 3 year rabies vaccine every year and giving her a one year rabies certificate.


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

*Rabies 'over-vaccination' targeted in Delaware* by Marc Selinger, The Examiner 7/2/12 http://www.examiner.com/article/rabies-over-vaccination-targeted-delaware


_"__Sen. Karen Peterson, the measure’s main sponsor. “It is needed because some veterinarians tell their clients that rabies shots must be administered annually when, in fact, they are using three-year vaccines. This practice can and has resulted in the deaths of dogs who were over-vaccinated.”_


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## Jayna Champion (Jul 7, 2012)

I worked as a ACO in DE for 4 years. I witnessed SO MANY instances of dogs recieving a 1 yr certificate, when the vaccine administered was a 3 year vaccine. When I asked the vets who were doing them, they stated they did it in the "best interest" of their clients, so that the owners would bring the pets in every year, not every 3. I brought up the over-vaccination issue to them, and they did not want to hear it. I made sure I told EVERY person who utilized those vets that if the vaccine was a RABVAC3, it was good for 3 years, and to ensure their vet would give them a 3 year certificate. It became a real issue when a bite occurred.. technically, the dogs' rabies didn't expire for 2 more years, but the vet only gave a 1 year certificate, so the dog had to go to the shelter for 10 days of quarantine.



ALSO... DE is trying to pass an anti-tether law.. unenforceable, and stupid. It's not as bad as some, as it makes continually tethering for 18 hrs unlawful, as opposed to other laws making it 8 hrs or what have you... but it's still stupid. DE already has laws to ensure responsible tethering! Length/weight of tether, shelter, water, adequate food, shade, no junk, no mud/standing water, nothing the dog can get caught on, etc.


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## Kris L. Christine (Mar 25, 2009)

Jayna Champion said:


> I worked as a ACO in DE for 4 years. I witnessed SO MANY instances of dogs recieving a 1 yr certificate, when the vaccine administered was a 3 year vaccine. When I asked the vets who were doing them, they stated they did it in the "best interest" of their clients, so that the owners would bring the pets in every year, not every 3. I brought up the over-vaccination issue to them, and they did not want to hear it. I made sure I told EVERY person who utilized those vets that if the vaccine was a RABVAC3, it was good for 3 years, and to ensure their vet would give them a 3 year certificate. It became a real issue when a bite occurred.. technically, the dogs' rabies didn't expire for 2 more years, but the vet only gave a 1 year certificate, so the dog had to go to the shelter for 10 days of quarantine.


Thank you for sharing your experience as an ACO, Jayna, and for taking the time to inform the pet owners about getting a 3 year rabies certificate when their vet gives a 3 year vaccine! From what members of the public tell me, it appears that issuing a 1 year certificate is quite common.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

in the "fwiw" category :
1. i'm against unnecessary vaccination
2. Japan has a one year rabies law. only killed vaccine is authorized, but they will honor other protocols for dogs entering the country on a temp basis
3. hundreds of thousands of dogs are being vaccinated here annually and many are receiving the 3yr dose. i know that for a fact from checking labels closely and talking directly with vets
4. they keep very close tabs on this and you WILL get a reminder in the mail when it is due, and follow ups if you ignore it. no canine rabies here for well over 50 years and they want it to stay that way

the movement to question established vet protocols has not taken off here. basically because it is generally considered socially unacceptable to question professional medical authority
..not gonna debate the merits of that, 
but :
dogs are not reacting to the vaccine and/or dying like one might think they would be

.... just passing on how things are in different (rabies free) countries around the world


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