RELATES TO:
KRS
258.005,
258.015,
258.035,
258.043,
258.085,
258.990(1),
(2)
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
194A.050(1) requires the
Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate administrative regulations
necessary to operate the programs and fulfill the responsibilities vested in
the cabinet.
KRS
258.075 authorizes the secretary to
administer the provisions of
KRS
258.005 to
258.087
through the local health departments and to promulgate administrative
regulations necessary to effectuate a statewide rabies control program.
KRS
258.015 requires the cabinet to approve a
vaccination certificate form.
KRS
258.043 authorizes a local health department
to sponsor a mass rabies immunization clinic and to establish a reasonable fee
to be charged to the owner of each dog, cat, or ferret vaccinated to help
defray the cost of the clinic. This administrative regulation establishes
uniform procedures for the diagnosis, prevention, and control of rabies, and
for operating a mass rabies clinic.
Section
1. Brands and Types of Approved Vaccine. All brands and types of
antirabies vaccine approved by the United States Department of Agriculture and
administered in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions shall be
approved vaccines for the purpose of this administrative regulation.
Section 2. Vaccination Schedule. The
vaccination schedule for all dogs, cats, and ferrets shall be as established in
this section.
(1)
(a) Except as provided by paragraph (b) of
this subsection, all dogs, cats, and ferrets shall be vaccinated against rabies
by a veterinarian holding a valid Kentucky license.
(b) An individual permitted under Section 7
of this administrative regulation may vaccinate a dog owned by that
individual.
(2) A dog,
cat, or ferret initially vaccinated shall be revaccinated one (1) year after
the initial vaccination regardless of the type of vaccine used or age of the
animal at the time of vaccination.
(3) After the vaccination required by
subsection (2) of this section, the period of time required for revaccination
shall be dependent upon the type of vaccine administered and the next
vaccination due by date as documented on the vaccination certificate.
(4) The current revaccination recommendations
of the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. may be
utilized in determining expiration dates of vaccines.
Section 3. Vaccination Certificates. A
vaccination certificate shall provide the information found on the National
Association of State Public Health Veterinarians NASPHV Form 51, Rabies
Vaccination Certificate. Certificate information shall either be:
(1) Handwritten on a reproduction of the
NASPHV Form51; or
(2) Computer
generated.
Section 4.
Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets Brought into State.
(1) Each dog, cat, or ferret brought into
Kentucky shall be vaccinated in accordance with
KRS
258.035.
(2) Reciprocity with other states shall be
granted if the vaccine is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
administered by a veterinarian licensed in that state.
Section 5. Animals Suspected of Being
Infected by Rabies.
(1) An animal suspected of
being infected by rabies shall be quarantined in accordance with
KRS
258.085.
(2) An animal ordered for quarantine in
accordance with
KRS
258.085(1)(a) shall be
quarantined in a manner that limits the animal's exposure to humans or other
animals.
(3) If a dog, cat, or
ferret is ordered to be destroyed and tested for rabies pursuant to
KRS
258.085(1)(b), it shall be
killed in a manner as to preserve the brain intact. The animal shall not be
shot or clubbed in the head. A wild animal suspected of rabies shall be
sacrificed and its head submitted to the laboratory immediately.
Section 6. Sending Heads of
Ownerless Animals to the Laboratory. If the ownership of a rabies suspect
animal is unknown, the expense of forwarding the head of the animal to the
laboratory shall be borne by the local health department.
Section 7. Rabies Vaccination Permits for
Owners of Dogs.
(1) The Cabinet for Health and
Family Services shall issue a permit to an owner of a dog to vaccinate a dog
owned by that individual upon satisfactory passage of an examination prescribed
by the cabinet.
(2) An individual
seeking an initial permit to vaccinate a dog owned by that individual shall:
(a) Register with the state public health
veterinarian by September 30;
(b)
Attend the instructional course on rabies, epidemiology, laws, and vaccine
administration; and
(c) Pass the
written examination with a score of seventy (70) percent or higher.
(3) The course required by
subsection (2)(b) of this section shall be provided annually in Frankfort at no
charge to the participant.
(4) The
Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall revoke any permit issued under
this administrative regulation upon finding that the permittee had vaccinated a
dog not owned by the permittee.
(5)
(a) A permit holder shall renew the permit
between January 1 and February 28 each year unless the permit has been
suspended, revoked, or cancelled.
(b) A permit shall be renewed by:
1. Returning the Renew Qualified Person Form
provided with the certificate of approval to administer a rabies vaccination;
or
2. Contacting the state public
health veterinarian by phone or email to request renewal.
(c) Failure to renew between January 1 and
February 28 of each year shall result in permit cancellation.
(6) Upon transfer of ownership, a
dog vaccinated for rabies by a qualified person shall be revaccinated by:
(a) A licensed veterinarian; or
(b) The new owner if that individual is also
a qualified person.
Section
8. Local Health Department Operating a Mass Rabies Vaccination
Clinic.
(1) A local health department may
sponsor a countywide rabies vaccination clinic per year for the purpose of
vaccinating dogs, cats, and ferrets.
(2) At least one (1) Kentucky licensed
veterinarian shall be available on-site during the rabies clinic to:
(a) Provide the initial vaccine to a dog,
cat, or ferret in accordance with Section 2 of this administrative
regulation;
(b)
1. Provide a three (3) year vaccine booster
to a dog or cat with proof of previous rabies vaccination; and
2. Provide a one (1) year vaccine booster to
a ferret with proof of previous rabies vaccination; and
(c) Be available to provide medical care if
an adverse vaccine event occurs.
(3) An owner shall not be charged more than
ten (10) dollars for each vaccination given.
Section 9. Incorporation by Reference.
(1) The following material is incorporated by
reference.
(a) National Association of State
Public Health Veterinarians, NASPHV Form51, "Rabies Vaccination Certificate,"
2007; and
(b) "Renew Qualified
Person Form" 3/2019.
(2)
This material may be inspected, copied, or obtained, subject to applicable
copyright law, at the Department for Public Health, 275 East Main Street,
Frankfort, Kentucky 40621, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and
is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at
https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/resources/publications/.
