A difference was made – by you!
If you read the earlier posting about Maine’s push to change the rabies vaccination date for puppies from six months to three months, you know there was quite a bit of logical opposition.
An update from Kris Christine came through yesterday and it looks like the bill was defeated soundly. Below is her e-mail with the details.
Greetings All!
I’ve just returned from the Maine Agriculture Committee’s work session on Section 7 of LD 2171, the proposed legislation which would have amended the Animal Welfare law to require that puppies be vaccinated against rabies at 3 months instead of at 6 months as the law currently stands.
The official word from the Co-Chair of the Committee, Representative Wendy Pieh, was: “Your testimony plus the followup that we have all received has made the decision that the rabies vaccination time will NOT be changed.”
“The followup” that the committee members received was SEVERAL HUNDRED E-MAILS in opposition to the amendment — they were swamped!! The response was so overwhelming that even the Director of Animal Welfare, Norma Worley, who wrote and pushed the amendment requested that it be deleted!
MANY, MANY THANKS for responding to the action alert! Contacting the committee made a huge difference in the lives of Maine dogs, and the law will not be changed as a result!
Congratulations to Kris Christine, the Rabies Challenge Fund, and all who participated in keeping pups in Maine safe from an unnecessarily early vaccination. But when your pup is old enough for that first rabies shot, do remember to take them in.
If you have any worries about a vaccine reaction, tell your vet first. They can help by either administering your pup a shot to counteract a reaction, or prescribe a dose of Benedryl before bringing them in. Your vet will know how much to give and when. Also, scheduling your pup for an early morning appointment is helpful. If he or she does have a reaction, you’ll have time to take the pup back to your vet so they can address any adverse reaction.
See our original blog entry for more details:
Vaccines and Adverse Reactions
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