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2010 SESSION
10104115DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 3.2-6529 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 3.2-6529. Veterinarians to provide treasurer with rabies certificate information; civil penalty.
A. Each veterinarian who vaccinates a dog against rabies or directs a veterinary technician in his employ to vaccinate a dog against rabies shall provide the owner a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate. The veterinarian shall forward within 45 days a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate or the relevant information contained in such certificate to the treasurer of the locality where the vaccination occurs.
The rabies vaccination certificate shall include at a minimum the signature of the veterinarian, the animal owner's name and address, the species of the animal, the sex, the age, the color, the primary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered, the vaccination number, and expiration date. The rabies vaccination certificate shall indicate the locality where the animal resides.
B. It shall be the responsibility of the owner of each
vaccinated animal that is not already licensed to apply for a license for the
vaccinated dog. Beginning January 1,
2008, if the treasurer determines, from review of the rabies vaccination
information provided by veterinarians, that the owner of an unlicensed dog has
failed to apply for a license within 90 days of the date of vaccination, the
treasurer shall transmit an application to the owner and request the owner to
submit a completed application and pay the appropriate fee. Upon
receipt of the completed application and payment of the license fee, the
treasurer or other agent charged with the duty of issuing the dog licenses
shall issue a license receipt and a permanent tag. The treasurer shall retain
only the information that is required to be collected and open to public
inspection pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter and shall forthwith
destroy any rabies vaccination certificate or other similar record transmitted
by a veterinarian to a treasurer pursuant to this section.
The treasurer shall remit any rabies vaccination certificate received for any animal owned by an individual residing in another locality to the local treasurer for the appropriate locality.
Any veterinarian that willfully fails to provide the treasurer of any locality with a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate or the information contained in such certificate may be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10 per certificate. Monies raised pursuant to this subsection shall be placed in the locality's general fund for the purpose of animal control activities including spay or neuter programs.