Cheyenne's Howl

Printed in Mountain Messenger on Friday April 18, 1997

Rabies Vaccines

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A CANINE IS A CANINE IS A CANINE!!!! What could be more obvious? If I can understand this, and I am only a wolf, although in all modesty I must admit that I am extremely intelligent, I do not understand why some supposedly intelligent humans are trying to deny this. As of 1993 in a revision of "MAMMAL SPECIES OF THE WORLD: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference", all domestic dogs have been reclassified as a subspecies of the wolf and not as a separate and distinct species from the wolf. It only took them two hundred thirty five years to correct this, but now it's done. So what point am I trying to make? Well here goes; the subject is rabies vaccines.

Did you know that several states actually prohibit a veterinarian from vaccinating a wolf or wolf-dog cross? Did you know that if a wolf or wolf-dog bites a human or other animal it is taken and immediately euthanized, (killed), and tested for rabies, even if it has had a rabies vaccination? Did you know that in some states, counties, and cities, if someone does not like you, they can claim that your dog has wolf in it and it will be taken away from you and killed whether or not it has done anything wrong or not? Think about this last statement for a moment. Realize that what I just said is that if a neighbor, a local sheriff, a animal control officer, or anyone else wants to cause you some heartache, they can claim that your animal has wolf in it and confiscate and euthanize it. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN COLORADO. What happens if your dog is a German Shepard, Husky, Malamute, or any other breed that looks like it has wolf in it and it bites someone. Even if the bite was provoked and the dog was vaccinated, your animal will be taken from you, killed, and its head cut off and brain tested for rabies. You will get your dog back in two plastic bags, one with the body, one with the head. All this because someone thinks your dog might have wolf in it.

Surprise, surprise. All dogs have wolf in them, they are of the same species. Wolves and dogs are genetically indistinguishable. According to the USDA, rabies vaccines are approved for an entire species and "a wolf-dog cross is to be considered a dog and must be maintained under dog standards..." Why is it then that the chief veterinarian for USDA-APHIS, Dr. Miller, is going against the recommendations from all of the scientists on his advisory panel that the use of current killed rabies vaccines are completely safe for wolves and wolf-dog crosses? Is Dr. Miller's recommendation not to vaccinate wolves and wolf-dog crosses in accordance with the USDA-APHIS mandate to protect humans from animal pathogens? I also want to be protected from rabies. My own feelings are that Dr. Miller is falling prey to special interest groups and playing politics for his own personal gain. More next week.

Cheyenne

P.S. I want to say "Hi" to the Hoopers, Tim, Janna, Leslie, and Jordan from Stillwater Oklahoma. I'm sorry you missed your plane, but I'm glad you had a good time playing and bonding with me.