CALIFORNIA Rabies Bill AB 272 ACTION ALERT

[Kris_Christine]

If you are concerned about stopping this bill, please contact your Assemblymember TODAY http://www.legislature.ca.gov/legislators_and_districts/legislators/your_legislator.html & ask them to PUT A HOLD ON BILL AB 272 – it only takes ONE Assemblymember to put a hold on this bill. Ask every California resident you know to do the same.

Permission granted to cross-post.

[Kris_Christine]

THE ALARMING PROPOSED BILL THAT COULD THREATEN YOUR PET'S LIFE Mercola Healthy Pets on California Rabies Bill AB 272 http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/04/29/early-rabies-vaccination.aspx

[Kris_Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272, which seeks to lower the age dogs must be vaccinated against rabies from 4 to 3 month has been sent to the Senate. Please contact your SENATOR http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ immediately & ask them to OPPOSE AB 272, then ask every California resident you know to do the same.

RCF Cover Letter to California Senators:

April 28, 2013

Greetings Senator:

Attached is a letter from The Rabies Challenge Fund, a California charitable trust of which Santa Monica resident, veterinarian & world-renowned veterinary vaccine research scientist Dr. W. Jean Dodds is Co-Trustee, in OPPOSITION to Rabies Bill AB 272. This bill will likely be assigned to your committee this week, after passing the Assembly last week.

AB 272 would **require that all dogs be vaccinated against rabies at the age of 3 months instead of 4 months. Lowering the required age of rabies vaccination to 3 months not only increases the likelihood of adverse vaccine reactions when added to other puppy vaccines given at 3 months, but also may fail to adequately immunize due to residual maternal antibodies.

Please bear in mind that there are **no veterinarians or veterinary medical practitioners amongst the bill’s sponsors, Health Officers Association of California—the association consists of physicians and speak with no more authority on veterinary medical issues than veterinarians would in sponsoring a bill regulating human medical care.

If you have any questions or would like any of the scientific and/or medical data referenced in the attached letter, you can reach Dr. W. Jean Dodds in California at her veterinary clinic (714) 891-2022 , or you can reach me at legdgespring@lincoln.midcoast.com .

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

[Kris_Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272 which seeks to lower mandated rabies vaccination in dogs from 4 to 3 months has been assigned to the Senate Health Committee. Please contact committee Chair, Senator Hernandez at (916) 651-4024 senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov, Senator Anderson (vice-chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036 and committee members below to OPPOSE AB 272. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130509_status.html

Senate Health Committee: http://biacal.org/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=120267

Ed Hernandez (Chair) senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4024
Joel Anderson (Vice Chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036
Jim Beall senator.beall@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4015
Kevin de Leon senator.deleon@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4022
Mark DeSaulnier senator.desaulnier@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4007
Bill Monning senator.monning@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4017
Jim Nielsen senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4004
Fran Pavley senator.pavley@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4023
Lois Wolk senator.wolk@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4003

[Kris_Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272 which seeks to lower the age at which dogs must be vaccinated against rabies from 4 to 3 months will be heard JUNE 5th by the Senate Health Committee.

**What You Can Do to Help

Please contact Committee Chair Senator Ed Hernandez (916) 651-4024 Fax (916) 445-0485 senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov, Senator Joel Anderson (vice-chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036 Fax (916) 447-9008 & committee members below and ask them to OPPOSE AB 272. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130520_status.html

Senate Health Committee:

Ed Hernandez (Chair) senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4024 Fax (916) 445-0485
Joel Anderson (Vice Chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4036 Fax (916) 447-9008
Jim Beall senator.beall@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4015 Fax (916) 323-4529
Kevin de Leon senator.deleon@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4022 Fax (916) 327-8817
Mark DeSaulnier senator.desaulnier@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4007 Fax (916) 445-2527
Bill Monning senator.monning@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4017 Fax (916) 445-8081
Jim Nielsen senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4004 Fax (916) 445-7750
Fran Pavley senator.pavley@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4027 Fax (916) 324-4823
Lois Wolk senator.wolk@senate.ca.gov Phone (916) 651-4003 Fax (916) 323-2304
Senate Health Committee Staff Phone Fax (916) 324-0384**

[Kris_Christine]

UPDATE CALIFORNIA Rabies Bill AB 272 was amended in the Senate yesterday (5/28/13) & NO LONGER REQUIRES puppies to be vaccinated against rabies at 3 months http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130528_amended_sen_v96.html "…..(b) (1) Every dog owner, after his or her dog attains the age of three or four months, shall, at intervals of time not more often than once a year, as may be prescribed by the department, procure its vaccination by a licensed veterinarian with a canine antirabies vaccine …"

[Guest]

Just want to say well done for your effort, hoping pet owners know about this amendment and use it wisely, glad we don't have the need for rabies vaccination in New Zealand.

Jolanda and Kaiser

[Kris_Christine]

@stash:

Just want to say well done for your effort, hoping pet owners know about this amendment and use it wisely, glad we don't have the need for rabies vaccination in New Zealand.

Thank you, Jolanda, it has been a real struggle with this bill.

[Kris_Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272 amended in Senate 7/2/13 to read "Every dog owner by the time his or her dog attains the age of four months, shall…" http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130702_amended_sen_v95.htm . The Rabies Challenge Fund does support the language of the bill as amended on 7/2/13.

There has been some confusion for dog owners, please ignore the legislative counsel's digest, which is NOT the text of the bill & the bill is not changing the law to require annual vaccination. The only change in the law this bill as of today is the age at which puppies must be vaccinated (originally Asm. Gomez wanted to lower the age to 3 months). This language: "shall, at intervals of time NOT MORE OFTEN THAN ONCE A YEAR, as may be prescribed by the department," has always been in the law & what is "prescribed by the department" is below.

California Department of Public Health Compendium of U.S. Licensed Animal Rabies Vaccines – 2008, and Their Application in Animals Under the California Rabies Control Program http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/2008_CA_rabies_vaccine_compendium.pdf

Division 14 FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE
SECTION 30801-30807 http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=fac&group=30001-31000&file=30801-30807

30801.(d) In addition to the authority provided in subdivisions (a), (b), and ©, a license may be issued, as provided by this section, by a board of supervisors for a period not to exceed three years for dogs that have attained the age of 12 months, or older, and who have been vaccinated against rabies. The person to whom the license is to be issued pursuant to this subdivision may choose a license period as established by the board of supervisors of up to one, two, or three years. However, when issuing a license pursuant to this subdivision, the license period shall not extend beyond the remaining period of validity for the current rabies vaccination.

Exemption signed into law 10/7/11: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=hsc&group=121001-122000&file=121575-121710

(b) (1) Every dog owner, after his or her dog attains the age of four months, shall, at intervals of time not more often than once a year, as may be prescribed by the department, procure its vaccination by a licensed veterinarian with a canine antirabies vaccine approved by, and in a manner prescribed by, the department, unless a licensed veterinarian determines, on an annual basis, that a rabies vaccination would endanger the dog's life due to disease or other considerations that the veterinarian can verify and document. The responsible city, county, or city and county may specify the means by which the dog owner is required to provide proof of his or her dog's rabies vaccination, including, but not limited to, by electronic transmission or facsimile.

[Kris_Christine]

URGENT CALIFORNIA AB 272 re-amended 8/20/13 by Senate AGAIN lowering the age at which puppies must be vaccinated against rabies to 3 months: "after his or her dog is 3 months of age or older. " Please contact your Senator, Assemblymember (http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov) & bill sponsor Asm. Gomez assemblymember.gomez@assembly.ca.gov (916) 319-2051 & ask them to OPPOSE or WITHDRAW this bill!

Amended Bill Text as of 8/21/13: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130820_amended_sen_v94.pdf

AB 272 Bill Status & History http://www.legislature.ca.gov/cgi-bin/port-postquery?bill_number=ab_272&sess=CUR&house=B&author=gomez

[Kris_Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272 lowering the age puppies must be vaccinated against rabies to 3 months passed the General Assembly & is in enrollment. The Governor has 12 days to sign this bill into law. Please call Governor Brown's Office TODAY 916-445-2841 (press 1 at prompt, then 6) & ask him to OPPOSE & VETO the bill, and ask all the dog lovers you know to do the same! http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130906_history.html