Cross post as desired...scary stuff!!
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"Forwarding to friends and family in Virginia recommended - Sorry, =
Virginia - this is not such great news . . . . forwarding encouraged =
. .. . .=20
Subject: Virginia's New Rabies Dog Licensing Database - Update & =
Recommendations
Dear Virginia Dog Owners,
This message briefly describes Virginia's new statewide "Gotcha" dog =
licensing database, which will be started July 1, 2007, and suggests =
some ways in which dog owners may ensure their animals' health while =
also protecting their personal privacy. You are encouraged to share this =
advice with other pet owners.
Delegate Bobby Orrock's (R-Spotsylvania) HB339 "Gotcha" licensing =
database, passed in 2005, contained a delayed effective date. Beginning =
on July 1, 2007, Virginia veterinarians will furnish city and county =
treasurers detailed information about every animal receiving a rabies =
vaccination. On and after January 1, 2008, treasurers will use this data =
to prepare and mail annual dog tax (licensing) bills, just as they do =
realty and personal property tax bills. See the attached instructions to =
veterinarians prepared by the Virginia Treasurers Association and the =
Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA). HB339 passed the General =
Assembly by a single vote. It was strongly supported by the Virginia =
Animal Control Association (VACA), VVMA, and with significant assistance =
from the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and the Virginia Federation of =
Dog Clubs and Breeders (VFDCB).=20
The primary goal of this legislation is to increase licensing costs =
while providing an enforcement database system to monitor and encourage =
pet sterilizations and breeder permitting. For a detailed record of this =
measure's passage into law, see =
http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/VETO_HB339.html Early indications are =
that the cost of a rabies vaccination will shortly rise $10-15 to =
compensate veterinarians for their extra paperwork. Counties and cities =
are expected to recoup their added accounting and personnel costs by =
raising tag costs next fiscal year. The secondary HB339 goal is to =
gather private dog owner information in an electronic format for use by =
government agencies, insurance companies, other commercial entities, =
animal rights zealots and private individuals seeking such data under =
the Freedom of Information Act, if necessary. The names of owners of =
certain breeds, sorted by zip code will be accessible, as will =
information on the owners of intact dogs, owners of more than X animals, =
etc. City and county dog rabies and personal data records are expected =
to be consolidated in Richmond by the end of 2008. This is the first =
such statewide dog owner database in the nation. Efforts to amend the =
"Gotcha" system to protect your privacy during the last General Assembly =
session failed. Exposure of 100,000 concealed weapon carry permit =
holders' names caused an immediate change in State Police procedures =
this year. The public release of detailed private information on one =
million Virginia dog owning households should generate some political =
reaction, but it hasn't.
As frightening and dangerous as this invasion of your privacy is, you =
must get your dogs vaccinated against rabies. There is a rabies epidemic =
raging in Virginia. Don't take any chances with this killer virus. Last =
year four Americans died from rabies and 1074 Virginians were treated =
for exposure. [link
http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/VA_RabiesData.html]http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/VA_RabiesData.html[/link] If you =
wish to remain outside of the rabies-licensing regime, there are several =
ways that you may protect your dogs' health and also safeguard your =
privacy.
a) Obtain your rabies vaccinations out-of-state. Other states' DVMs =
won't violate your privacy.
b) Obtain vaccinations before 7/1/2007. At least in principle, records =
before 7/1/2007 are private, if your veterinarian understands the law =
and respects his professional-client relationship. Adult rabies =
vaccinations are effective for at least five years, if not for a =
lifetime. Northern Virginia residents: Fairfax County's $10 rabies =
clinic will be held at the 4500 West Ox Road Animal Shelter on May 20, =
2007 from noon - 2 pm.
c) After 7/1/2007, obtain rabies vaccinations at a clinic where you =
aren't known, pay cash and don't supply your correct address.
d) After 7/1/2007, offer to pay your veterinarian's $10 fine, if he/she =
will respect your privacy and not transmit your dog's records to =
treasurers. In the unlikely event veterinary client records are ever =
audited, the new code section provides for civil penalty not to exceed =
$10 per certificate for a veterinarian that willfully fails to provide =
treasurers with rabies certificates. If your veterinarian raises charges =
for forwarding such certificates, ask he/she to put your extra fee in =
the bank for possible fine payment and not release your information.=20
This mechanism has been suggested by several Virginia veterinarians. =
VVMA represents only a portion of the licensed DVM personnel in the =
state and nearly all of its members were kept in the dark about HB339, =
while its lobbyists negotiated out of the bill's initial requirement =
that veterinarians sell dog tags. The result is the new "Gotcha" system. =
Instead of providing that convenient service, Virginia's veterinary =
professionals have become assistant animal control officers. Many of =
them deeply resent that role. Perhaps yours feels that way as well.
e) Virginians may legally self-vaccinate their animals against rabies =
using mail order vaccine. Such vaccines are inexpensive, safe and =
effective. The drawback to self-vaccinating is that should your dog ever =
bite someone or something, an animal control officer may want to see a =
veterinarian's vaccination certificate. A rabies titer might be used as =
proof of vaccination, but that alternative may not be accepted. The =
failure to produce a signed certificate could mean your animal is =
quarantined for an extended period or perhaps euthansized.
Pet Data, a private Texas animal licensing contractor and HSUS =
supporter, is gathering dog owner data one city and county at a time. =
[link
http://www.petdata.com/company/about/about.html]http://www.petdata.com/company/about/about.html[/link] The firm has no privacy =
policy, like Virginia. Given Albuquerque's new $125 intact fee and the =
pending California mandatory pet castration-spay law, animal owners =
would be wise to avoid such databases, including ours.