3.2-6521 - Rabies inoculation of companion animals; availability of certificate; rabies clinics.
§ 3.2-6521. Rabies inoculation of companion animals; availability ofcertificate; rabies clinics.
A. The owner or custodian of all dogs and cats four months of age and oldershall have such animal currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensedveterinarian or licensed veterinary technician who is under the immediate anddirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises unlessotherwise provided by regulations. The supervising veterinarian on thepremises shall provide the owner or custodian of the dog or the cat with arabies vaccination certificate or herd rabies vaccination certificate andshall keep a copy in his own files. The owner or custodian of the dog or thecat shall furnish within a reasonable period of time, upon the request of ananimal control officer, humane investigator, law-enforcement officer, StateVeterinarian's representative, or official of the Department of Health, thecertificate of vaccination for such dog or cat. The vaccine used shall belicensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use in that species. Atthe discretion of the local health director, a medical record from a licensedveterinary establishment reflecting a currently vaccinated status may serveas proof of vaccination.
B. All rabies clinics must be approved by the appropriate local healthdepartment and governing body. Rabies clinics shall be held at least once peryear when the governing body finds that the number of resident veterinariansis otherwise inadequate to meet the need. The licensed veterinarian whoadministers rabies vaccinations at the clinic shall (i) provide the owner orcustodian a rabies vaccination certificate for each vaccinated animal and(ii) ensure that a licensed veterinary facility retains a copy of the rabiesvaccination certificate. The sponsoring organization of a rabies clinicshall, upon the request of the owner or custodian, an animal control officer,a humane investigator, a law-enforcement officer, a State Veterinarian'srepresentative, a licensed veterinarian, or an official of the Department ofHealth, provide the name and contact information of the licensed veterinaryfacility where a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate is retained.
C. Vaccination subsequent to a summons to appear before a court for failureto do so shall not operate to relieve such owner from the penalties or courtcosts provided under § 16.1-69.48:1 or 17.1-275.7.
D. The Board of Health shall, by regulation, provide an exemption to therequirements of subsection A if an animal suffers from an underlying medicalcondition that is likely to result in a life-threatening condition inresponse to vaccination and such exemption would not risk public health andsafety. For the purposes of § 3.2-6522, such exemption shall mean that theanimal is considered not currently vaccinated for rabies. For the purposes of§§ 3.2-5902, 3.2-6526, and 3.2-6527, such exemption shall be considered inplace of a current certificate of vaccination.
(1984, c. 492, § 29-213.67; 1987, c. 488, § 3.1-796.97; 1988, c. 538, §3.1-796.97:1; 1992, c. 294; 1993, c. 817; 1994, c. 636; 1996, c. 351; 1998,c. 817; 2006, c. 836; 2008, c. 860; 2009, c. 756; 2010, cc. 182, 834.)