Senate Bill 334 (2024) — Rabies vaccinations
SB 334
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 By Senator Burgess 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 1 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to rabies vaccinations; amending s. 2 828.30, F.S.; authorizing certain persons to 3 administer rabies vaccinations to certain animals 4 under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian; 5 providing that a supervising veterinarian assumes 6 responsibility for any person working under the 7 veterinarian’s supervision or at his or her direction; 8 defining the term “indirect supervision”; authorizing 9 a veterinarian who indirectly supervises the 10 administration of the rabies vaccination to affix or 11 have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an 12 actual signature on the rabies vaccination 13 certificate; amending ss. 474.203, 767.16, and 828.29, 14 F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the 15 act; providing an effective date. 16 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18 19
Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of
section 828.30, 20 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 21 828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets.— 22 (1)(
a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older 23 must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, or a person 24 authorized under paragraph (b), against rabies with a vaccine 25 that is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture 26 for use in those species. 27 (b)1. When acting under the indirect supervision of a 28 veterinarian, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of a county 29
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 2 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. or municipal animal control authority or sheriff may vaccinate 30 against rabies a dog, cat, or ferret in the custody of an animal 31 control authority, sheriff, or shelter and that will be 32 transferred, rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by its 33 owner. 34 2. The supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for 35 any person vaccinating animals at the veterinarian’s direction 36 or under his or her supervision.
As used in this paragraph, the 37 term “indirect supervision” means that the supervising 38 veterinarian is required to be available for consultation 39 through telecommunications, rather than be physically present 40 during the consultation. 41 (
c) The owner of every dog, cat, and ferret shall have the 42 animal revaccinated 12 months after the initial vaccination. 43 Thereafter, the interval between vaccinations must shall conform 44 to the vaccine manufacturer’s directions. The cost of 45 vaccination must be borne by the animal’s owner. Evidence of 46 circulating rabies virus neutralizing antibodies may shall not 47 be used as a substitute for current vaccination in managing 48 rabies exposure or determining the need for booster 49 vaccinations. 50
(3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed 51 veterinarian shall provide the animal’s owner and the animal 52 control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each 53 animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the “Rabies 54 Vaccination Certificate” of the National Association of State 55 Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form 56 approved by the local government which that contains all the 57 information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination 58
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 3 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies 59 vaccination, or who supervises the administration of the rabies 60 vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b), vaccine to an 61 animal as authorized required under this
section may affix or 62 have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an actual 63 signature. 64
Section 2. Paragraph (
a) of subsection (5) of
section 65 474.203, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 66 474.203 Exemptions.—This
chapter does not apply to: 67 (5)(
a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee, 68 administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals, 69 including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and 70 dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or 71 employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law. 72 This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a 73 veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and 74 practicing temporarily in this state.
However, except as 75 provided in s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may immunize or treat 76 an animal for diseases that are communicable to humans and that 77 are of public health significance. 78 79 For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt 80 pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) 81 are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the 82 laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies. 83
Section 3. Subsection (2) of
section 767.16, Florida 84 Statutes, is amended to read: 85 767.16 Police canine or service dog; exemption.— 86
(2) Any dog used as a service dog for blind, hearing 87
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 4 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. impaired, or disabled persons that bites another animal or a 88 human is exempt from any quarantine requirement following such 89 bite if the dog has a current rabies vaccination that was 90 administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a licensed 91 veterinarian. 92
Section 4. Paragraph (
b) of subsection (1) and paragraph 93 (
b) of subsection (2) of
section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are 94 amended to read: 95 828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale; 96 health requirements; consumer guarantee.— 97 (1) 98 (
b) For each dog offered for sale within the state, the 99 tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this
section must 100 be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian, 101 licensed by the state and accredited by the United States 102 Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate 103 of veterinary inspection.
The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 104 must be administered before the dog is offered for sale in the 105 state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on 106 the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to 107 inoculate or deworm the dog is not in the best medical interest 108 of the dog, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be 109 administered to that particular dog. Each dog must receive 110 vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and 111 internal parasites: 112 1. Canine distemper. 113 2. Leptospirosis. 114 3.
Bordetella (by intranasal inoculation or by an 115 alternative method of administration if deemed necessary by the 116
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 5 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. attending veterinarian and noted on the health certificate, 117 which must be administered in this state once before sale). 118 4. Parainfluenza. 119 5. Hepatitis. 120 6. Canine parvo. 121 7. Rabies, provided the dog is over 3 months of age and the 122 inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a 123 licensed veterinarian. 124 8. Roundworms. 125 9. Hookworms. 126 127 If the dog is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and 128 anthelmintics required by this
section must be administered no 129 more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the dog is 4 130 months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 131 required by this
section must be administered at or after 3 132 months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the 133 state. 134 (2) 135 (
b) For each cat offered for sale within the state, the 136 tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this
section must 137 be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian, 138 licensed by the state and accredited by the United States 139 Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate 140 of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 141 must be administered before the cat is offered for sale in the 142 state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on 143 the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to 144 inoculate or deworm the cat is not in the best medical interest 145
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334 23-00428A-24 2024334__ Page 6 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. of the cat, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be 146 administered to that particular cat. Each cat must receive 147 vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and 148 internal parasites: 149 1. Panleukopenia. 150 2. Feline viral rhinotracheitis. 151 3. Calici virus. 152 4. Rabies, if the cat is over 3 months of age and the 153 inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a 154 licensed veterinarian. 155 5. Hookworms. 156 6.
Roundworms. 157 158 If the cat is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and 159 anthelmintics required by this
section must be administered no 160 more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the cat is 4 161 months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 162 required by this
section must be administered at or after 3 163 months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the 164 state. 165