HCS HB 617 -- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES

SPONSOR:  Wright (Brown, 149)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture by a vote of 4 to 3.

This substitute requires the owner of every dog or cat in this
state to have his or her animal vaccinated against rabies by a
veterinarian and to have the vaccination repeated periodically
based on the age of the animal and type of vaccine administered
or as required by an applicable municipal or county ordinance.
Entities licensed by the Department of Agriculture are exempt
from the requirements of the substitute.

Any owner violating the provisions of the substitute will be
guilty of an infraction.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill makes vaccination for
rabies uniform for the entire state and penalizes any dog or cat
owner who fails to have his or her pets vaccinated.  Many
governmental entities require dogs and cats to be vaccinated, but
unincorporated areas do not.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Brown (149); Scott
Fray, DVM; Ronald Palmer, DVM; James Crago, DVM; Department of
Health and Human Services; and Chuck Barry, DVM.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it opens the door
for overzealous law and animal control officers to enter upon
private property.  There were no cases of rabies in humans in
Missouri last year.

Testifying against the bill was Missouri Federation of Animal
Owners.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am