MaryP Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 I'm fighting right now with Luv My Pet (www.luvmypet.com/) to try and get a copy of a rabies certificate for a dog we have in rescue. The dog was confiscated by Animal Control for neglect and the owners agreed to surrender their rights to him and two other dogs. The dog was then released to us. We have a rabies tag from this year for him, which the AC gave us along with his other paperwork. But, I don't have a rabies certificate for the dog. I called and talked to a LMP rep and explained the situation, gave him the rabies tag number, the dog's [previous] name, and the previous owners' names. He confirmed everything and said he would email me a certificate. Then, I got an email from them stating that they would need the owner's permission to release any records. I explained that I AM the owner and have the paperwork to prove it. I also explained that a rabies certificate is a legal requirement and that I had no intention of vaccinating the dog AGAIN just to get a certificate. I got another snotty email back that they would need the permission of the previous owners to give out medical records. I told them that I thought that was ridiculous and that I wasn't asking for them to release any personal info about the previous owners (even though I have much of that from the shelter paperwork). I simply wanted a copy of the rabies certificate so I could provide the necessary LEGAL proof that the dog was current on rabies AND so that I didn't have to subject the dog to an unnecessary vaccination. Now, they are telling me that they are sorry, but its the law. What law?? Do we have privacy laws for dogs now, too? This is the first time this has happened to me. I've called and received vet records from other places before. What's the big dang deal with providing a copy of the rabies certificate?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Sounds like they want money. Call the state, ask them the law. Call LMP and ask them the law and to produe it in writing. Can you or anyone meet them face to face? I find their attitude disappears when the computer does. If they still won't give you a copy file a complaint with the state as Rabies is a state issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 What a ridiculous thing! So I looked it up. I found THIS CHART from the AVMA on the confidentiality of veterinary records by state. I can't believe it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aljones Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Well, in Kentucky it is the law that the owner must provide a signed release to the vet's office before the office can release any medical records to anyone else, including, say, an ER vet clinic. It became law a couple of years back, and I never did find a reasonable explanation for it. Seems like a lot of extra paperwork and hassle. Not to suggest that Luv My Pet's response, especially the snotty part, makes any sense. But just to point out that some states do have strict regulation about pet records being shared. ETA: I see Jodi found a much more comprehensive resource for you as I was posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 I call bull$hit. Ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 But she's not asking for records, just the certificate that goes with the tag. I still say call the state....or have you tried notifying the co. and asking them for a copy? Maybe they can force the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Shouldn't the fact that the previous owners relinquished ALL rights, mean that Mary, as new legal owner, can get access to the info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 But seriously ... even if it WAS medical records ... let's say the dog had surgery of some sort ... or you knew the lines of the dog and it had epilepsy and you wanted the medical records ... they're dogs!!!! There's no privacy concern! So they black out the owner's name/address ... but the dog has no privacy. Dogs are possessions, kind of like asking the mechanic for the history of work done to a car you just bought. WTH??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Exactly. I know, rules and all that, but we're talking about a vaccine certificate. It's just nit picky, if you ask me, especially in this case. And I guess it just depends on the vet, like Mary said, she's had no problems in the past. I recently transported a dog for another BC rescue (not Mary's). Along with the dog came his full vet records, which had been provided to the shelter BY the vet! (Who, by the way, cared enough to bring the records and a toy for the dog, which is more than we can say for the owners) The vet had simply blacked out the owner's name and private info, leaving the records for the rescue to be able to verify what vaccines he'd had, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryP Posted September 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 I haven't looked at the link, yet, that Angie posted, but if it is a law, it simply makes no sense. Who would be being protected? I mean, I am then stuck between two laws. One tells me that I have to be able to provide proof, in the form of a rabies certificate, that the dog is current on rabies. But, the other law (if there's one) tells me that I can't have access to that proof, even though they are willing to tell me over the phone that the dog received the vaccine, even the day, month, and year. But, I can't have a copy of the certificate that includes the vaccine info and vet signature, as required by law. Their recourse for me was to wait until the vaccination is due again in January, which would technically be illegal should my AC ask me to show proof of rabies. Or, they said that I could vaccinate the dog early, which, to me, seems absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryP Posted September 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 OK, so I looked at the chart that Jodi (I mistakenly said Angie before) posted. For FL, it says that the records can be released to a veterinarian responsible for caring for the dog. So, I'll just ask my vet to request a copy of the certificate. I wish I had looked at earlier, since I just came from my vet's office. I could have asked them to do it while I was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc friend Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 I learn something new every day! TX law may not require a vet to release records w/o owner consent or a subpoena but vets here routinely do it every day! And when I check out potential adopters for the local bc rescue, I've never had a vet's office (in or out of Texas) even mention needing owner consent before giving me whatever information I'm requesting about the potential adopter's history w/the vet! So I'm just amazed at how much difficulty you're having in getting the certificate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Those laws are in place to protect the humans, not the dogs. A signed form showing that ownership of the dog was transferred should be enough to get vaccine records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Those laws are in place to protect the humans, not the dogs. Nothing a black marker can't fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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