Sick pets in Georgia might not be required to get rabies vaccine
Dogs and cats that are too weak to receive a rabies shot would be exempted from Georgia’s vaccination law under a bill pending in the state Legislature.
The measure, House Bill 742, is intended to protect old and sick pets whose health could be harmed by the rabies vaccine.
The legislation is named Ruby’s Law for a Scottish terrier that was denied treatment from a Georgia veterinarian unless the dog was re-vaccinated for rabies.
Ruby’s owner, Maureen Harper, refused the vaccination because it could have killed her pet as she was going through chemotherapy and being treated with antibiotics and other drugs.
"Ruby's health was not a priority to this vet," Harper wrote in a video she created supporting the legislation. "The law needs to be changed!"
Eighteen other states already have medical exemptions clauses in their rabies laws, according to the Rabies Challenge Fund, a group that supports HB742 and advocates for longer intervals between required rabies re-vaccinations.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
