Rep. Peter Rines is sponsoring precedent-setting legislation that will require veterinarians to give clients disclosure forms when prescribing medications and before vaccinating pets.

One of the world’s leading veterinary vaccine research scientists, Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Richard Ford of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine will be drafting the model disclosure form. Both of these researchers were members of the American Animal Hospital Association’s 15-member task force that came out with vaccination guidelines for dogs in 2003.

Ford also served on the American Association of Feline Practitioners task force, which published vaccination recommendations for cats in 2000.

This legislation will ensure that pet owners receive disclosure information detailing the risks, benefits, and adverse side effects of veterinary vaccines and prescription medications, as well as the minimum duration of immunity for vaccines based on published challenge studies (in which animals are injected with high doses of virulent virus to test immunity).

The veterinary disclosure forms will be similar to those pharmacists are required to issue with human prescription medications.

Mainers have been unwittingly overvaccinating their pets on the advice of veterinarians who vaccinate annually, biennially, and triennially with vaccines that actually provide immunity for several years.

For example, challenge studies by Schultz demonstrated that canine distemper vaccine has a minimum duration of immunity of seven years, and Cornell University’s challenge studies showed cats were completely immune to feline panleukopenia eight years after kittenhood vaccination.

As redundant vaccination does not boost immunity and current scientific research increasingly points to overvaccination in triggering autoimmune and chronic disorders in animals, it is essential that pet owners be given full disclosure prior to vaccination in order to make informed choices and to be able to recognize symptoms of adverse reactions to vaccines or medications.

Please contact your local Representative and Senator and ask them to support Rines’ veterinary vaccine disclosure legislation and make Maine a healthier state for pets!

Kris L. Christine

Alna