Kansas USA Rabies Law

Here are rabies law updates from Kris Christine. I would like to thank Kris for these important updates and for her permission to allow me to post them here on my Blog.

Greetings!

To update you, there is a front-page article in today's (3/18/08)Wichita Eagle by Diane McCartney entitled:

Are annual shots a risk for dogs? Many wonder why city requires 3-year rabies vaccine yearly http://www.kansas.com/news/story/344780.html

Please post a response at the bottom of the online article!

Regards, Kris
Kris L. Christine
Founder, Co-Trustee
The Rabies Challenge Fund
http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org

The following quotes are from that article:

Most veterinarians, including those in Wichita, use a rabies vaccine for dogs that is guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to give immunity for three years.

That's why Michael Nawrocki, president of the Wichita Veterinary Medical Association, calls yearly rabies vaccinations "overkill."

"Every animal, whether they get the one-year or the three-year vaccine, it's the exact same vaccine; it's good for three years," Nawrocki said.

If the vaccine is good for three years, why does the city of Wichita require pets to be vaccinated every year?

Kay Johnson, director of the city's department of environmental services, says irresponsible pet owners are to blame.

Until we see better compliance with vaccinations in general, I'm not inclined to relax our position" on the yearly vaccine, she said.

"It's insane for them to go through this every year," said Christopher Hesse of College Hill Animal Hospital.

Requiring all dogs to be vaccinated annually because some people don't take their dogs in for shots is "ludicrous thinking," Hesse said.

If you would like to see the national 3 year rabies protocol adopted, you can contact Kay Johnson at KJohnson@wichita.gov Phone (316) 268-8351 Fax: (316) 268-8356 Environmental Services1900 E. 9th St. N. Wichita, KS 67214. Kansas Legislators can be contacted by clicking on the link below or by copying and pasting the e-mails at the bottom of this post.