CALIFORNIA Rabies Bill AB 272 ACTION ALERT

[Kris L. Christine]

CALIFORNIA ACTION ALERT: Rabies Bill AB 272 introduced by Assemblyman Gomez seeks to lower required age of vaccination to 12 weeks from the current 16 weeks http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bil ... duced.html .

What You Can Do to Help:

Please contact Mr. Gomez & ask him to WITHDRAW this bill! assemblymember.gomez@assembly.ca.gov (916) 319-2051

PERMISSION GRANTED TO CROSS-POST

[Kris L. Christine]

Below is my letter to Assemblymember Gomez on behalf of The Rabies Challenge Fund.

February 13, 2013

Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0051

RE: AB 272 An Act to Amend Section 121690 of the Health and Safety Code Relating to Rabies

Greetings Assemblymember Gomez:

Assembly Bill AB 272 which you have introduced seeking to lower the age at which dogs must be vaccinated against rabies from 4 months to 3 months is ill-advised and scientifically unfounded. The bill seeks to address a problem in the canine community that does not exist, as the California Department of Public Health’s statistics in Reported Animal Rabies Data make abundantly clear: bats and other wildlife pose the major threat of rabies transmission to the public, not dogs under the age of 4 months.

Three cases of rabies in dogs since 2007 (no mention of them being dogs under 4 months of age), as opposed to 981 rabid bats and 147 rabid skunks for the same period, evidences the fact that the current law requiring puppies to be vaccinated against rabies by 4 months of age is effective at controlling rabies in California’s canine community and does not need to be changed.

Lowering the age at which puppies are required to have their first rabies shot from 4 months to 3 months would be counterproductive. Puppies are finishing up their other vaccinations (distemper, hepatitis, parvo) at 12 weeks (3 months) of age, and adding a rabies vaccine into the mix will not only increase the likelihood of adverse reactions, but also the probability that the vaccine components will interfere with each other and neutralize or negate the desired immunological response.

Contributing to the chance that rabies vaccination at 3 months may not be effective is the continued presence of maternal antibodies. According to the 2006 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines, the most common reason for vaccination failure is "the puppy has a sufficient amount of passively acquired maternal antibody (PAMA) to block the vaccine......" [1] They elaborate by reporting that at the ages of 14 to 16 weeks of age, "PAMA should be at a level that will not block active immunization in most puppies (>95%) when a reliable product is used." After the age of 16 weeks (4 months), the maternal antibodies are reduced to a level at which they should not reduce the rabies vaccine's effectiveness.

Vaccinating puppies at too young an age can be ineffective. The 2003 American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) Canine Vaccine Guidelines reports on Page 16 that: "When vaccinating an animal, the age of the animal, the animal's immune status, and interference by maternal antibodies in the development of immunity must be considered. Research has demonstrated that the presence of passively acquired maternal antibodies interferes with the immune response to many canine vaccines, including CPV, CDV, CAV-2 and rabies vaccines.” [2]

As it currently stands, the law requiring puppies to be vaccinated at 4 months of age is and has been effective at controlling rabies in California’s canine population. There is no epidemiological or scientific rationale for changing this law and prematurely exposing puppies to the potentially harmful, sometimes fatal, adverse side affects of the rabies vaccine prior to the age of 4 months.

On behalf of The Rabies Challenge Fund and the many concerned California pet owners who have requested our assistance, I strongly urge you to withdraw AB 272.

Respectfully submitted,

Kris L. Christine
Founder, Co-Trustee
THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND
www.RabiesChallengeFund.org

cc: Dr. W. Jean Dodds
Dr. Ronald Schultz
California Assembly
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force. 2006 Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Recommendations, and Supporting Literature, 28pp.
[2] American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force. 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Recommendations, and Supporting Literature, 28pp.

[Kris L. Christine]

Dr. W. Jean Dodds' Interview with Dr. Karen Becker on California AB 272 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZzmVtfzO08

[Kris L. Christine]

URGENT ACTION ALERT: CALIFORNIA AB 272, which would lower the age at which puppies must be vaccinated from four months to three months will be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday April 10th http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bil ... tatus.html

Please contact Appropriations Committee Chair Mike Gatto (916) 319-2043 assemblymember.gatto@asm.ca.gov & ask the committee to OPPOSE AB 272.

[Kris L. Christine]

URGENT CALIFORNIA AB 272, lowering the age at which puppies must be vaccinated against rabies from 4 to 3 months will have 2nd full House consideration TODAY. Contact your legislators & tell them to OPPOSE AB 272 http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/.

Unfortunately, Appropriations unanimously passed this yesterday, despite the bill summary indicating that, as currently worded, it will not accomplish the authors' stated goals. California Assembly calendar for today .

[Kris L. Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272, lowering the age at which puppies must be vaccinated against rabies from 4 to 3 months will have its 2nd full House vote Monday April 15. Please contact your legislators & tell them to OPPOSE AB 272 http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/.

Assembly Calender for Monday April 15th ftp://leginfo.public.ca.gov/pub/dailyfi ... mbly_floor

[Kris L. Christine]

URGENT ALERT: California Rabies Bill AB 272, which seeks to lower the age at which dogs must be vaccinated from 4 months to 3 months, will soon be scheduled for a final Assembly vote, and if passed, it will move on to the Senate. Prior Assembly votes supporting AB 272 are baffling as all 4 Assembly analyses (three of which contain inaccurate information on state rabies laws) indicate AB 272 will NOT accomplish the stated goals of its sponsors, the Health Officers Association of California.

Lowering the required age of rabies vaccination to 3 months increases the likelihood of adverse vaccine reactions as well as failure to immunize due to residual maternal antibodies and interference from other puppy vaccines given at 3 months. There is significant opposition to AB 272 from The Rabies Challenge Fund, The California Federation of Dog Clubs, dog organizations, veterinarians, and private individuals.

What You Can Do to Help

Contact your Assemblymembers and Senator, by phone or e-mail, (click here to find your Legislators http://www.legislature.ca.gov/legislato ... lator.html) and ask them to OPPOSE Rabies Bill AB 272.

Dr. Dodds' Interview on AB 272 with Dr. Karen Becker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZzmVtfzO08 .

[Kris L. Christine]

CALIFORNIA AB 272--Asm. Gomez & the Assembly apparently think this bill is a joke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcTniW_zhLs .

[Kris L. Christine]

If you are concerned about stopping this bill, please contact your Assemblymember TODAY http://www.legislature.ca.gov/legislato ... lator.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 L. 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/he ... ation.aspx

[Kris L. 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 L. 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 to OPPOSE AB 272. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bil ... tatus.html

[Kris L. 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 and ask them to OPPOSE AB 272.

[Kris L. 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/bil ... n_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 ..."

[Kris L. 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/bil ... en_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/disco ... endium.pdf

Division 14 FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE
SECTION 30801-30807 http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displ ... 0801-30807

30801.(d) In addition to the authority provided in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), 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.

[Kris L. 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/bil ... en_v94.pdf

[Kris L. 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/bil ... story.html