DOG VACCINATIONS

Vaccinations are a touchy subject. However, people aren’t as touchy about it, or so I thought, when referring to animals. I rescued my dog, Cooper, from the Hillsborough County Animal Shelter a.k.a “The Pound”. When Cooper got to the shelter he was completely emancipated, rugged, mean, completely beat up and tired – according to the shelter, he didn’t have much time before he was going to be put down even though he was only about a month old. I opted to take him, and for $ 15 they let me take him home as long as he was vaccinated, and fixed. I had to say yes because otherwise, I wouldn’t be taking home what is now, the man of my dreams (aside from my husband of course). I love my dog more than I could put into words. I cry when he is hurt or sad, I laugh when he is happy, I frolic when he frolics, I haven’t been a day without him in five years and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. With that being said, I REFUSE to vaccinate my dog (short of the damage that has already been done) and I Cooper only eats a diet that is specifically suited for him – no wheat, no soy, absolutely no corn – dog food with less than 10 ingredients and TONS of fresh veggies. Most dog vaccinations, specifically the rabies shot are some kind of joke. It is no secret that human vaccinations are a money maker. Pharmaceutical companies bank when it comes to getting people, especially children, vaccinated and I have no doubt in my mind that we are over vaccinating our animals for that exact reason : PROFIT.

One of the main reasons why I refuse to vaccinate my dog is because of the “one size fits all policy”. That’s right. It doesn’t matter if you have a Maltese or a Great Dane, they are both getting the same dosage of vaccinations. It doesn’t take a scientist to know that doesn’t seem right. In a study that was released in 2005, evidence showed that smaller dogs were at risk and that too many vaccines cause major problems. Nothing has changed, and here we are in 2013! I mean, in 2003 the American Veterinary Medical Association acknowledged that annual vaccinations are based on precedent and not on scientific data. That doesn’t sound like a bunch of people I want determining the health of not only my pet, but a member of my family. Many people believe in getting the flu shot for themselves, but I’m curious if you really understood what the flu shot was you would still want to get it. The same rules that apply for the flu shot apply for pet vaccinations. If I don’t believe in getting myself vaccinated, I sure as hell don’t want to just inject my dog with a mixture of crap that a bunch of guys made up to become rich.

Please consider the following, written by Dr. Fudens at the Affinity Holistic Clinic in Clearwater, Florida.

“I would like to give you, the reader, the truth about the so called required vaccinations, particularly rabies. There are two basic forms of law. One is the legal Constitutional and Common law that this country was founded on, and the other is “colorable” law passed by Administrative agencies/bureaucrats who have been given so called authority to pass laws. Black’s Law Dictionary 5th Edition defines colorable law as “That which is in appearance only, and not in reality, what purports to be, hence counterfeit, feigned, having the appearance of truth.” Yes, I study the law, am a paralegal, and have an extensive law library. So any and all mandatory rabies vaccination programs are colorable law, in that they have been passed and mandated upon the pet owning public by certain vested interest groups. Who are these groups? First and foremost are veterinarians, in general, and veterinarian medical organizations. Second are the local animal control personnel, bureaucrats and politicians. What are their reasons? GREED, POWER AND CONTROL. Both these large powerful interest groups stand to benefit greatly by having rabies mandated by colorable law. Veterinarians receive a large percentage of both their gross income and profit from vaccines given in the office. On average vaccines cost 60 to 95 cents per dose and are charged to the client at $ 15 to $ 25 per injection and substantially more in the large cities. Therefore, if veterinarians lobby to have a colorable law passed to give rabies vaccine every year that enhances their financial picture.

The veterinary medical societies, by working with other groups and area politicians, are rewarded by increased prestige and professional standing in the community. After all we are protecting you from the dreaded disease rabies, whether it exists or not. Some areas of the country are more enlightened and fortunate to have the rabies vaccine mandated every three years. You can be assured the rise of rabies is never taken into account as to whether the vaccine should be required or not. More on this later. The local government personnel benefit by extending more control over our lives, enriching the public treasury with fees, tags and fines, and giving the appearance that local government is doing something about animal populations, disease and risks to the public. Since rabies vaccines have been mandated, what county or area has seen less dog and cat bites, better animal control, more public awareness and educating of pet owning responsibility, better birth control of unwanted animals, less euthanasia of animals and decreased growth of animal control facilities?

These special groups and lobbies will use any argument, realistic or not, to justify their position. They are excellent at using the media to spread the lies and distortions. Examples: We have increased numbers of dogs biting people, pitbulls attacking and killing children are on the increase, more dogs and cats are running loose terrorizing neighborhoods, killing wildlife and other domestic stock, etc…ad nausaem. The only thing rabies vaccination is for is the protection from rabies virus, all other justifiers for the vaccine fall under human control and exist because there are a certain number of humans, connected to animals, who are irresponsible. Rabies is spread by the bite of an infected animal. The number of dog/cat bite cases in the U.S. that expose humans to rabies is as rare as shark attacks. This low incident rate has nothing to do with mandatory vaccination as the number of cases was low before the mandatory requirement.Let me give you an example of Pinellas County, FL where my Affinity Clinic is located. I secured information from Pinellas Animal Control through the Freedom of Information Act. The record of animal control starts in 1964. From 1964 to 1978 there were zero cases of dog rabies in the county. Magically in 1978 rabies vaccine was mandated to be given every year and all dogs tagged and licensed. WHY? Well it seems four veterinarians, with animal control bureaucrats, pushed the county board of supervisors to pass a law mandating rabies vaccination every year. There were three local vets and one professor from the State Veterinary College who were behind this. It was interesting reading their letters pushing this law and the minutes of the county meeting. There was talk of dogs biting people (no actual figures given), dogs running loose, animal overpopulation, rabies on the increase in the U.S. (the increase was in wildlife, not dogs), etc.,etc. Not once was the issue discussed that there was no rabies in the county in dogs. To thisdate there still has not been one case of dog rabies, including the population of dogs whose owners, GOD BLESS THEM, do not vaccinate for rabies. Let’s go further.

From 1964 to 1989 there were no cases of rabies in cats in Pinellas County. Magically in 1989 a law was passed mandating rabies vaccination, tags and licenses for all cats. Same tired worn out excuses were used. Since the 1989 law there was one cat with rabies contracted from the bite of a bat. DO YOU READERS REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE JUST STATED? This is standard throughout the Country. No allowance is made for dogs/cats who never leave the house or yard, could never be exposed to rabies under any circumstances, or who are so ill, old or at the end of their life cycle that the rabies vaccine would throw them over the edge. No, all dogs and cats are treated the same because we have the bogeyman, rabies, stalking the streets waiting to strike unprotected dogs and cats. Is there rabies in this Country? You bet. Are there areas of this Country that have rabies in their wildlife population and do some dogs/cats become infected? You bet. But let’s be realistic. Rabies has been on this earth long before man walked here and will be here long after we are gone. The only way to get rid of rabies is to remove mankind and the upper animals susceptible to the virus. Then maybe the virus will die off. It is a self limiting disease in the wild as it is fatal. So the virus has an extremely hard time spreading far and wide. What is wrong with targeting those areas of the Country that have a problem with rabies using a realistic and specially formulated program that will protect the population at risk? Too logical and the special groups don’t make any money. Why not educate the pet owner to the risks and dangers and let them decide whether the immune system damage from rabies vaccination is greater or lesser than contracting the disease. We do have a God given Constitutionally secured right to LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Public health officials always have the right to mandate emergency health care procedures in case the public, in general does not respond properly. But why should every day, month and year be as if an emergency or crisis exists? And why should we have more and more control of our lives taken from us?

The vaccines, particularly rabies, are a political and economic scam being forced upon pet owners because they do not know the truth. Rabies, nationwide, is nowhere near the problem the veterinarians, media, politicians and bureaucrats would like you to believe. If you wish more of the truth go to your local city or county government building and look up the codes and statutes concerning vaccines and rabies. Get figures from local animal control for rabies in dogs, cats and wildlife in your area. Then you can start to fight back, take control of your life, and protect your pet from the only dreaded disease that is important–special interest groups pushing their program leading to vaccine induced damaged immune systems. Only you can set yourself free.

Current Veterinary Therapy by Kirk, the textbook bible for veterinarians in general, has an article on canine and feline vaccines by two researchers. Near the end of the article is a paragraph called Annual Vaccinations. It states “The practice of annual vaccinations lacks scientific validity or verification. There is no immunological requirement for annual vaccinations. The practice of annual vaccinations should be considered of questionable efficacy unless it is used as a mechanism to provide an annual physical examination or is required by law.” Sure, if we can’t manipulate you with annual vaccinations let’s pass a law to get you into the office. Nice trick! Well reader, it is your choice. I can only hope to stimulate you to look and go further. You don’t have to take this suppression. Fight back. The only thing you have to lose is your freedom and you have already lost a great deal of it. I can fight with you but I can’t do it alone”

All of the information in the above quotations can be researched and confirmed. If that doesn’t send you over your seat about what is going on, I don’t know how else to convince you. Let me clarify that I do feel there are certain vaccinations both human and canine that are a necessity and are helpful – but I think that others should be voluntary. If they were, there are still vaccinations that I would have given Cooper – but absolutely NOT every year or every three years, and most likely NOT the rabies shot.