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AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT CLARIFIES RULES ON RABIES VACCINATIONS
With two cases of rabies confirmed in livestock already this year, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is encouraging farmers to consider vaccinating their animals, particularly valuable breeding stock and show animals that are likely to be commingled with other animals.
State law does not require rabies inoculations for livestock, but it does require that manufacturers ship vaccine only to veterinarians in West Virginia, not directly to consumers.
“Veterinarians may sell vaccine to consumers for them to use on their animals, but only for approved livestock,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
The current rabies vaccine is approved only for dogs, cats, cattle, horses and sheep. It is not approved for goats, swine or other animals, according to WVDA State Veterinarian Joe Starcher.
“The danger of using the vaccine on unapproved animals is that it may not provide immunization against the disease, and people in contact with that animal will have a false sense of security that the animal can’t contract rabies,” Dr. Starcher explained.
State law requires that pet dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies every two years, Dr. Starcher added. Injections for pets must be given by a veterinarian to ensure proper record-keeping. The veterinarian and the county clerk keep a record of the vaccination, so if a person is bitten by an immunized animal, he or she will know they don’t have to get rabies shots, which can be quite costly.
Regardless of what the label on the vaccine says, under West Virginia law, rabies vaccinations are good for only two years for dogs and cats – and for only one year for cattle, horses and sheep, Dr. Starcher said.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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