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Fellow Virginia Beaglers

Don't know if you all know or heard this but effective July 1, 2007 if you take your dog to the vet for a rabies shot, that vet is now required to send your dogs information to the local tax office to insure you have paid for your dog permit/tag. If you decline to give your information to the vet then they will not give your dog the rabies shot. This bill was brought up and passed under the radar somehow. There is alot of information about your dog that they are sending which should not concern a local tax office. Any thoughts?

__________________
William Hostetter
North Mountain Beagle Club

Received this a few days ago.

A VHDOA message to dog owning sportsmen about protecting their traditions,
avocations and livelihoods from anti-hunting, anti-breeding, animal guardianship
advocates. Forwarding and cross posting, with attribution, encouraged.

**Cross posting and forwarding requested**

Dear Virginia Animal Owners,

Virginia Rabies Cases Surge to All-Time Highs - Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Advises Members to Refuse Vaccinations

The Virginia rabies public health crisis grows daily. Confirmed cases of rabies in Virginia for the first half of 2007 jumped seventeen (17) percent compared to 2006. Last year's incidents were the highest ever recorded by the Virginia Department of Health. Currently, an average of fourteen (14) cases are reported weekly, with other likely cases ignored due to testing costs. Rabies is virtually always fatal, if not treated immediately. Over eleven-hundred (1,100) Virginians were treated for rabies contact in 2006, while exposure to rabid wildlife, cats and dogs continues to surge. For official state data and 2006-2007 rabies cases press reports, see http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/VA_RabiesData.html

Despite this public health crisis, the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA) has advised its members that they should not give animals rabies vaccinations when their owners request their records be kept confidential. On July 1, 2007, state veterinarians began supplying county treasurers client and pet information for a new dog licensing procedure created by an extremely controversial 2006 General Assembly bill, Delegate Orrock's HB339.

In the pursuit of higher dog tag revenues, one million dog owning household's private information will be collected in an electronic database readily accessible by businesses, mass marketers and private activists. Veterinarians are not only being asked to serve as dog tag police and to violate their client's privacy, now their professional organization advises them to ignore common sense, jeopardize public health and violate veterinary medical ethics. http://www.vvma.org/rabies07.htm

Per the law, veterinarians are required to forward this information. Again, stress that their animal's breed information is kept confidential. If they still do not want the certificate forwarded, then you should not vaccinate the animal. It will be important to document the number of instances that this occurs.

This is an extremely misleading advice. *All* owner and dog data will be publicly disclosed. Only the breed of the dog will be held back, and that exemption expires on July 1, 2008. Will veterinarians report those clients not obtaining rabies shots, as this implies? This isn't part of the new law. VVMA knows that; its staff and officers helped draft and strongly supported HB339.

Animal owners wishing to protect their privacy risk a $250 misdemeanor fine by not purchasing a dog or cat license. Veterinarians that fail to supply a county treasurer with the detailed information in the attached guidelines jointly developed by the VVMA and Treasurers Association of Virginia may incur a civil penalty not to exceed $10. That same guideline also requests the electronic transmittal of client information not authorized by HB339

This 2006 bill was hotly contested and passed by a single vote in the Senate Agriculture Committee. With its delayed implementation, Virginia's first-in-the-nation state "gotcha" database came as surprise to nearly all DVMs. A mere handful of VVMA members were aware of this bill and the association's role in its passage.

Rabies vaccinations may be secured out-of-state or legally self-administered. VVMA rank and file members and other professionals that wish to continue to protect their client's animals are prepared to ignore this extraordinary unethical and dangerous "don't vaccinate" suggestion. Certain Virginia DVMs who care about their clients and animals are willing vaccinate, not share client information and absorb a possible, but unlikely $10 expense. Others may charge an extra $10 for non-reported vaccinations. See http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/staterk.htm

HB339's "gotcha" database will reduce rabies vaccinations. VVMA's advice increases this dangerous situation. This irresponsible "don't rabies vaccinate" statement compounds a series of recent VVMA Richmond lobbying positions that harmed animals and their owners, while simultaneously degrading our relationship with our veterinarians. It should give pause to any animal owner using the services of VVMA's Officers and Directors below and, by extension, any Virginia veterinarian paying dues to this group. VVMA represents less than thirty (30) percent of all licensed DVMs. Two out of three Virginia DVMs don't support this management group or its agenda.

Virginia Veterinary Medical Association - Officers and Directors

President
Lauren Keating DVM
Natural Bridge Hospital for Animals, Natural Bridge Station, VA 540-291-1444

President-Elect
Steven Karras DVM
Cave Spring Veterinary Clinic, Roanoke, VA 540-989-8582

__________________
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