Perusing the Book of Faces last night before hitting the sack, I found one or two Anti-Vaxxer memes that made me chuckle. Later as I was in bed, something click in and I asked myself “How about A-Vs and their pets? Do they get vaccinated too?”
So this morning I checked. And yes, they are extending their doctrine to the poor beasties.
These are clips of newspapers from 1901.
Since we no longer teach history or responsibility, we have a couple of generations unaware of the problem that rabies was before mandatory vaccination of dogs was imposed and specially before there were any vaccination for both humans and animals. One day Fido is the lovable little pooch and the next day the sucker is tearing little Jimmy’s throat and attacking any living creature in sight. And what he does not kill he infects with his sickness right before dying a painful death. And even though a vaccine to cure the infection was developed by then, we are talking about pretty much the cases happening outside the cities where there might be a Pasteur Institute, were painful death sentences.
When I was a kid, I was indoctrinated on the respect and wariness we should have for strange dogs. My parents had seen back in Spain mad dogs roaming the country side and the fear that came with that till the animal was killed, hopefully before it attacked them or their animals, both pets and stock. I grew up hearing only about a couple of cases, but they did happen so I never lower my guard. I have been bitten three times in y life and all three times the owners presented their certificates of vaccination sparing me a dance with needles: Back then was something like 2 or 3 weeks of daily shots plus boosters after that. Nowadays we are down to 5 shots over a month plus booster every 6 IRRC.
Anti Vaxxers as usual, are getting away with their BS because of herd Immunity. Unfortunately their actions will compromise that and allow the disease to expand. This willful ignorance of basic health issues will bring them and us, too much unnecessary pain, specially when trying to explain kids why Fluffy was taken down with a shot in the head.
In NH, vaccinating dogs for rabies is mandatory. No vaccination certificate, no dog tag. And there aren’t any religious or other silly exemptions either.
Same here in Florida. Unless you live out in the wild and never take your dog to a vet, vaccinations are mandatory.
The biggest problem with most anti-vax parents is that they themselves were probably vaccinated as children. So it’s their innocent offspring that will be killed by measles and not them…
https://i.redd.it/7zffcs0onxw11.jpg
Need a meme maker to say something like: ” Believes solidly in second amendment…. Also wants forced vaccinations” Ahh the irony here…
For dogs? You betcha. If your untreated pooch catches rabies and bites me, you are going to have a seriously pissed off neighbor who hates needles having to get shots because you have some sort of cult-like false belief that life was healthier before Pasteur. If Cujo goes after my loved ones, including my pets….oh well.
PS: You are not one of those who believe animals have the same right as humans and stuff like that, right? are you PETA member? That would explain a lot of things.
I don’t want “forced” vaccinations, I do however want to be able to exclude unvaccinated children from schools, hospitals, airplanes, trains, ships, and any other public accommodation where their decision not to vaccinate will put others at risk.
Your right to swing your fist ends at my nose. You’re free to punch yourself in the face, I won’t stop you, but you don’t get to punch me.
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When I was eight we lost our roughly one year old mutt to distemper. I was too young to know the details, but I would do anything to not have that happen to anyones furry friend.
Among some wild animal populations rabies is fairly common. Why any idiot would subject an innocent pet to the horrors of easily preventable diseases is beyond my ken.