HB 214 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 3 AND 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RABIES AND OTHER VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS, AND LICENSING.

Gray HOUSE& OFRep. REPRESENTATIVES 150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO.

1Jaques TO& HOUSESen. BILL NO.

214Hocker AMEND& HouseSen. Bill No.

214Walsh onRep. line 8 by deleting "age, " after "its" and before "infirmity" therein and inserting in lieu thereof "age, ".

FURTHERShupe AMENDHOUSE HouseOF BillREPRESENTATIVES No.150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE BILL NO.

214 onAN lineACT 29TO byAMEND deletingTITLES "age,3 "AND after16 "its"OF andTHE beforeDELAWARE "infirmity"CODE thereinRELATING andTO insertingRABIES inAND lieuOTHER thereofVACCINATION "age,REQUIREMENTS, ".AND LICENSING.

FURTHERBE AMENDIT HouseENACTED BillBY No.THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

214Section on1. line 40 by deleting "age, " after "its" and before "infirmity" therein and inserting in lieu thereof "age, ".

SYNOPSISAmend This§ amendment8204, removesTitle 3 of the wordDelaware "age"Code fromby themaking bill.deletions as shown by strikethrough and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:

As§ written,8204. an animal's "age" would be a reason to exempt the animal from vaccination.

AsRabies amended,vaccination therequired exemptionfor woulddogs, beand basedcats, uponand infirmity,ferrets; disability, illness, or other medical consideration, but not age.

antirabies clinics.

(a) Vaccination of dogs.

— (1) Any person owning a dog 6 months of age or older in this State shall have that dog vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian;

exemption from vaccination against rabies may be permitted if a licensed veterinarian has examined the animal and based on the veterinarian’s professional judgment, has certified in writing that at the time, vaccination would endanger the animal’s health because of its age, infirmity, disability, illness, or other medical considerations and a titer test may be administered to assist in determining the need for the vaccination.

The owner of the dog will receive a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate legibly signed by the veterinarian.

The owner of the dog will be responsible for keeping a valid rabies vaccination certificate or exemption certificate in their possession for inspection by an animal control officer, the Department of Agriculture or the Division of Public Health, if deemed necessary.

Certification that the animal is exempt from vaccination shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of the issuance of the certificate of exemption, after which time the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed veterinarian and vaccinated against rabies or a new certificate of exemption shall be issued to the animal’s owner.

(2) Upon request by an animal welfare officer, the Department of Agriculture, or the Division of Public Health, all owners of kennels, excluding licensed boarding kennels, shall present immediately a valid rabies vaccination certificate or exemption certificate, signed by a veterinarian, for each dog 6 months of age or older owned by the kennel.

Kennel owners will be specifically responsible for keeping all vaccination certificates for all dogs owned or kept at their premise until at least 12 months after the effective expiration date of the vaccination or exemption.

If a dog is sold or traded, then the valid vaccination certificate or exemption certificate shall be given to the new owner of the dog.

If no valid certificate is given to the new owner, the new owner shall have the dog vaccinated and be issued a valid vaccination certificate or examined and HR :

RDS :

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06/12/2019 10:40 AM be issued an exemption certificate.

Certification that the animal is exempt from vaccination shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of the issuance of the certificate of exemption, after which time the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed veterinarian and vaccinated against rabies or a new certificate of exemption shall be issued to the animal’s owner.

(b) Vaccination of cats.

— Any person owning a cat 6 months of age or older in this State shall have the cat vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian;

exemption from vaccination against rabies may be permitted if a licensed veterinarian has examined the animal and based on the veterinarian’s professional judgment has certified in writing that at the time, vaccination would endanger the animal’s health because of its age, infirmity, disability, illness, or other medical considerations and a titer test may be administered to assist in determining the need for the vaccination.

The owner of the cat will be responsible for keeping a valid rabies vaccination certificate or exemption certificate in his or her possession for inspection by an animal welfare officer, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Department of Agriculture, or the Division of Public Health.

Certification that the animal is exempt from vaccination shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of the issuance of the certificate of exemption, after which time the animal shall be re- examined by a licensed veterinarian and vaccinated against rabies or a new certificate of exemption shall be issued to the animal’s owner.

(c) Vaccination of ferrets.

— Any person owning a ferret 6 months of age or older in this State shall have the ferret vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian;

exemption from vaccination against rabies may be permitted if a licensed veterinarian has examined the animal and based on the veterinarian’s professional judgment has certified in writing that at the time, vaccination would endanger the animal’s health because of its age, infirmity, disability, illness, or other medical considerations and a titer test may be administered to assist in determining the need for the vaccination.

The owner of the ferret is responsible for keeping a valid rabies vaccination certificate or exemption certificate in that owner's possession for inspection by an animal welfare officer, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Department of Agriculture, or the Division of Public Health.

Certification that the animal is exempt from vaccination shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of the issuance of the certificate of exemption, after which time the animal shall be re- examined by a licensed veterinarian and vaccinated against rabies or a new certificate of exemption shall be issued to the animal’s owner.

(d) Any animal that receives a certificate of exemption under this section must be treated as unvaccinated in case of potential rabies exposure.

(e) Any form necessary to implement this section shall be designed by the Department of Agriculture and made available to licensed veterinarians.

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