What a stupid policy

Okay, get this. I am trying to decide whether or not to comply with the law and get Nala re-vaccinated for rabies. I found out that the city will exempt her from that requirement if my vet will write a letter saying she cannot get the vaccination. I found a holistic vet who will write such a letter if she does a rabies titer and it turns up positive (meaning Nala is immune). So I made an appointment to get that done.

But, I was still worried that one day Nala will nip someone too hard and a parent will freak out and report it. So, I called animal control to find out what the policy is.

It turns out that (in my city) if your dog bites a person when they are off your property, they quarantine the dog for 10 days at the vet - EVEN IF THE VACCINATION IS CURRENT! What the heck?! If they don't trust the vaccination, then why do they require it?! If the vaccination is not current, it is still a 10-day quarantine at the vet.

The only difference that I could find is that if she were to "bite" someone ON MY PROPERTY and she has a current vaccination, then she could be quarantined in our home. Without the current vaccination, she has to be quarantined at the vet.

For pete's sake. Can the fear get any worse? Why even demand a vaccination if it isn't going to be trusted?

 

Is rabies a rampant disease that is out of control? I just wondered why all cities seemed to have archaic laws in place regrading this vac.

 

I think it's the "Old Yeller" legacy. I guess maybe the squirrels here could carry it?? I dunno. I think it's just insane panic. And perhaps if they would focus on a cure rather than mindless panic, maybe they could find one?

 

Now, don't get all crazy Jaimya with your prevention talk, that's way too radical for city governments! (lol)

 

I could hear my "regular" vet's eyes bug out on the phone when I explained that I want Bonnie tested for HW even though it has only been 6 months since the last test because she is not on any preventive. LMAO.

 

there is a vaccine for people for rabies too...I'm supposed to get one for fostering purposes but without insurance I don't go to the doctor unless absolutely necessary. So I'd think it would be easier if people also got vaccinated rather than constantly subjecting our pets every 3 years
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/nwcph ... ccine.html

 

Here are 2 unrelated rabies stories.
One is with a cat I had several years ago, he bit someone actaully it was my neighbor who picked him up and brought him into her house, which over the phone said happened alot (and Ihad never talked to this lady before) but then later she said she broke up a cat fight between him and her cat in the woods and my roommate saw all of it too. I couldn't find his rabies certificate at first (and got really scared, what if I didn't get it done!) but I found it and the game warden told me I had a couple of days to find it but until then I had to keep him quarantine inside my house for 10 days. I found it and showed it to him, nothing then on the 10th day he stopped by to let the cat go outside, which I am a really bad cat owner, but this cat hated to be inside and was not going to the bathroom inside bc he was an outside cat his stomach swelled up and I touched it and it made a loud (loud enough to wake my roommte) fart. so I had beenletting him out the whole time after that day.
The other story is shorter (and I will post) when I brought my dog (and cat)to GErmany all they asked for is a rabies shot more than one month old but less than a year and a clean bill of health, no quaratine, nothing. I thought that was almost to simple! I mean like what if Jamiya, Nala and Bonnie come to visit me, they could just borrow another dogs rabies certificate that had a similar description, right? But with cats since July there is an EU (I think) law saying all cats need to be microchipped. But now I am moving back in January, so I need to figure out what to do.

 

Where I live, we have to get our dogs microchipped now. Im not sure if it is for all dogs or just Pit Bulls. A few months ago, everybody that has a Pit Bull had to fill out a form ...why only Pit Bulls? Not too long ago, they took pictures and detailed descriptions of our dogs incase they get lost or stolen, that they can be identified.
What is the point of being microchipped when they have all this information? Do they just want to make money?
They gave us by the end of this month to get it done.
Times running out.....

 

Angie, I cant belive there is a law to have your pet microchipped. Most poeple dot it but ot force it, just seems wierd Is it because they are trying to track down owners that dump animals? That would make the only sense, making them more responsible. I was just reading in my Breast Friends Animal magazine about a dog this woman found that had collar and tags, she called the home and they said teh dog had mising for 7 years! but they didnt want the dog back so it is at best friends for adoption.

Jimiya, Wylie had to be quaritined at our home for 10 days when she got attacked by the coyote. the vet said that is law and there is a rare chance the vaccine does not work. And he suggested I call now I cant think of the name but is its a government agency to inform them, it wasnt mandaory so I didnt, no way I going to even let them think of quarantining her someplace when she is up to date on her shots.

honeybear

 

Yes, they are forcing it.
They said something about for the dogs to be identified.
But then why did they spend all that time not too long ago, taking pictures and giving full, detailed descriptions? And with all the owner information?
I really think they just want to make money. Its $25 a dog... I don't know if thats the 'normal' price or what.
What do you think about it?

 

I dont know what microchipping costs, but if it is mandatory, that sounds expensive, like what I would normally pay at my vet, you would think they would have low cost days

honeybear

 

I talked to my vet (or one of them anyway). He said that rabies is not very common here. He said in some areas (but not here), feral cats are the biggest carriers. I rarely see stray cats here. Also, he said that around here skunks are the major carrier.

I am taking Nala in to the other vet today to have her titered for rabies and tested for heartworms. Bonnie got a negative HW yesterday - so far so good!

 

We have sknunks and coons and opossums here. The coyotes are also bad carriers of it. I vaccinate Smokey bi-yearly (one because its free, two helikes to "play" with them, and three insurance requires it.) Yes pet insurance.