September 28th is the 14th World Rabies Day < link >. Meanwhile, laws surrounding rabies vaccination and exposure vary across the United States. Kate Boatright, VMD, shares what animal health pros need to know about rabies laws.
SAY WHAT?
. . . only 39 states mandate rabies vaccination for dogs; 11 states have no statewide legal requirement for rabies vaccination of any species. Feline rabies vaccination is required in 34 states, and vaccination of ferrets is required in 20 states.”
Source: DVM 360, August 26, 2020. Link. Protect yourself and your clinic because rabies laws vary by state, and sometimes by local jurisdiction. It can be frustrating for practitioners to know for certain if they are fulfilling their legal duty to their patients and the public.
Note: To help raise awareness of rabies law, Boehringer-Ingelheim and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians developed a centralized website that compiles state law, rabies surveillance data, and contact information for the appropriate public health officials < link >.
INSIGHTS: The Global Alliance for Rabies Control focus in 2020 is on vaccination and collaboration. The objectives include:
- the goal of Zero by 2030,
- the importance of dog vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis; and
- the need for a united effort towards achieving elimination of this transboundary disease.
And yet, counter to the global objectives . . . 11 states in the U.S. have NO statewide legal requirement for rabies vaccination of ANY species. How can that be?