MACo Associate Director, Natasha Mehu, provided testimony in support of Senate Bill 366, “Public Health – Rabies Vaccination Information – Submission to Local Agencies and Use for Licensing,” before the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on February 8, 2017.

SB 366 authorizes designated local animal agencies to request rabies vaccination certificates or information for dogs, cats, and ferrets from licensed veterinarians. It also allows rabies vaccinations records to be used for the purposes of licensing the animals. Under current law, local agencies do not have the authority to compel this information from veterinarians and are prohibited from using the information to license pets.

From MACo testimony:

Strong vaccination and licensing laws help local governments protect the health of pets and the humans that come in contact with them. Efficient record sharing and retention provide agencies with the additional benefits of being able to quickly identify pets and their vaccination status.

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2017 legislative session here.