Are rabies shots required for cats in California?

Do you think rabies has nothing to do with you and your dog?

Do you think rabies has nothing to do with you and your dog or cat? You’re wrong. While the disease itself is now (thankfully) quite rare in people and pets in the United States, it is still extremely important.

Can captive animals get rabies from captivity?

Captive mammals that are not completely excluded from all contact with rabies vectors can become infected. Moreover, wild animals might be incubating rabies when initially captured; therefore, wild-caught animals susceptible to rabies should be quarantined for a minimum of 6 months.

What’s new in the compendium of animal rabies prevention and control?

A new edition of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control has just been released and it contains some updated recommendations with regards to protocols to be followed when a pet bites a person or when a pet is bitten by a rabid or potentially rabid animal. To paraphrase:

Should captive animals be regulated?

State laws vary considerably, with some states banning the ownership of wild and exotic animals while others have virtually no regulation whatsoever. Captive animals need better laws, and better enforcement of those laws.

What are some animal captivity facts you should know?

One of the most noticeable animal captivity facts is that most animals in zoos don’t have nearly enough room. Elephants are not the only big mammals that require more space than they are given in captivity. Besides polar bears, lions and tigers also have much less space than they would have if they were free (about 18,000 times less).

Should wild animals be kept in captivity?

They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. Some are in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos, others live caged at private homes. But few federal laws protect these animals, who may be forced to perform or kept confined in small cages with little to keep their minds occupied and bodies well.

Is it safe for my Pet to travel?

All animals, including cats, dogs, exotic pets and reptiles, must be kept safe from harm and injury when they are travelling by land, air or sea. It is always a good idea to check the health of your pet before any long trip to make sure it is fit to travel.

What is rabies registration for dogs and cats?

Registration or licensure of all dogs, cats, and ferrets is an integral component of an effective rabies control program. A fee frequently is charged for such licensure, and revenues collected are used to maintain rabies or animal control activities. Evidence of current vaccination should be an essential prerequisite to licensure.

What is the purpose of the Rabies Compendium?

The recommendations in this compendium serve as a basis for animal rabies prevention and control programs throughout the United States and facilitate standardization of procedures among jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national rabies control program.* The most current version replaces all previous versions.

Are there any effective rabies antiviral drugs?

There are currently no known effective rabies antiviral drugs. The recommendations in this compendium serve as a basis for animal rabies prevention and control programs throughout the United States and facilitate standardization of procedures among jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national rabies control program.*

What is animal rabies control and human rabies prevention?

The recommendations regarding domestic animal vaccination, management of animals exposed to rabies, and management of animals that bite humans are the core elements of animal rabies control and human rabies prevention.

Are big cats being wrongfully held captive?

Pacing. However, this is hardly exclusive to big cats in zoos, backyard lions and tigers often exhibit these behaviors as well as those used for roadside animal attractions and circuses. While the specific human purpose for keeping these animals may vary, the fact that they are being wrongfully held captive does not.

What is the most stressful captive animal activity in zoos?

2. Petting is the most common stressful captive animal activity WAZA partners frequently offer (43% of partners). One of the recent Nat Geo animal cruelty in zoos articles revealed that captured animals in zoos and aquariums undergo many activities involving human contact and other encounters that can cause anxiety and suffering.

Are animals in captivity statistics hiding the harsh truth?

Animals in captivity statistics hide the harsh truth about the environment and treatment of captive animals. Animal lovers usually refrain from reading these stats because they can sometimes be too painful and shocking. However, if you’re reading this and you want to find out more about the reality.

Are zoos and Aquariums abusive to animals?

Animal abuse is widespread in the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities (75% of them). Zoos and aquariums that are a part of WAZA often break the rules of this organization. Some of the basic WAZA guidelines restrict animal cruelty, displaying animals for entertainment, stunts, and tricks.

Should wild animals be allowed to live in zoos?

If all wild animals were allowed to live in wild places where they are meant to live there would be no need for zoos. We could still see the animals in the wild. It would be more difficult to see them but they could still be seen and enjoyed. As there is a better alternative to zoos why do we have them?

Do cats get frustrated in captivity?

When captivity takes this opportunity away, these cats can get frustrated. I visited one sanctuary where they did not allow children under six years of age in because the cats would stalk them and get too excited, seeing them as potential prey. Evidently, large predators salivating to eat children is a bad thing — who’d a thought?

Why are laws protecting wild animals in captivity important?

With increased awareness about the cruelty involved with keeping wild animals in captivity, more and more jurisdictions are enacting legal protections. These laws help the animals and also people, since wild animals in captivity present a serious public safety risk. The state and local laws protecting wild animals in captivity are spreading.

Can the Endangered Species Act be used to protect captive animals?

In 2014, the Animal Legal Defense Fund successfully brought a lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act against a roadside zoo called the Cricket Hollow Animal Park, that was mistreating protected animals. This was the first time that the ESA has successfully been used to protect captive wild animals.

Why can’t exotic animals be kept as pets in captivity?

The county realized that “ [b]y their very nature, inherently dangerous exotic animals are wild and potentially dangerous, and, as such, do not adjust well to a captive environment.”

Is rabies a communicable disease?

Rabies is communicable during the period of salivary shedding of rabies virus. Experimental and historic evidence indicates that dogs, cats, and ferrets shed virus a few days before clinical onset and during illness.

What are the primary components of a rabies control program?

The primary components of a rabies control program for companion animals are: immunization and licensing; stray animal control; reporting, investigation, and isolation of animals involved in bite incidents; and public education. 3. Wild animal rabies control

Can I give my Cat ribavirin for feline herpes?

Ribavirin is used to treat respiratory syncytial virus infection in children. It has broad action against a variety of feline viruses including FeLV, FIV, calicivirus and coronavirus. However, it is to toxic for use in cats (8). L-lysine is a normal amino acid that has an inhibitory effect against both human herpesvirus and FeHV infection.

How do medications treat rabies virus?

Viral infections can usually be treated using anti-viral drugs, which inhibit virus development. Rabies virus uses a myriad of strategies to avoid the immune system and hide from antiviral drugs, even using the blood brain barrier to protect itself once it has entered the brain.

Where can I find information about rabies for pet owners?

A new website under development, RabiesAware.org, will provide owners and veterinarians with a lot of good information, like state-specific answers to the following “frequently asked questions” about rabies: Which species are required to be vaccinated against rabies?