HOUSE BILL NO. 2295 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 9, 2007 A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.1-796.87:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to a surcharge on rabies vaccinations. ---------- Patron-- McClellan ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 3.1-796.87:1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 3.1-796.87:1. 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 (i) a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate or the information contained in such certificate and (ii) a $3 fee, charged to and collected from the owner of the dog, for each rabies vaccination to the treasurer of the locality in which the vaccination occurs.

1. 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, the secondary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered, the vaccination number, and expiration date. The rabies vaccination certificate shall indicate the locality in which the animal resides.  

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. 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 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.

2. The $3 fee shall be deposited by the treasurer of the locality into a special fund established for the sole purpose of reimbursing qualified providers of reduced cost or pro bono sterilization services for the costs of such services. Subject to the receipt of sufficient moneys in the fund, the treasurer of the locality shall, upon application, provide reimbursement to qualified providers of spaying and neutering services in that locality. Any moneys remaining in the fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the locality but shall remain in the fund.

B. 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 and the $3 vaccination surcharge may be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10 per certificate. Monies raised Penalties collected pursuant to this subsection shall be placed in the locality's general fund for the purpose of animal control activities including, but not limited to, spay or neuter programs.

This section shall become effective July 1, 2007.