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An Act To Allow Licensed Kennel Owners To Vaccinate Their Own Dogs
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §1808-A,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 386, §15, is further amended to read:
§ 1808-A. Direct purchase of rabies vaccine
A veterinarian licensed in this State may sell rabies vaccine to a licensed kennel owner or a person who owns cattle, sheep, goats or cervids as defined in section 1333. A veterinarian who sells rabies vaccine in accordance with this section is not, as a result of selling the vaccine, liable for claims arising from the administration of the vaccine by the purchaser.
An animal vaccinated against rabies by a person who is not a licensed veterinarian or under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian or who is not a licensed kennel owner under section 3923-C, subsection 7 may not be certified as vaccinated against rabies and must be treated as an unvaccinated animal under Title 22, chapter 251, subchapter 5 and rules adopted pursuant to that chapter.
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3916, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 422, §4, is further amended to read:
 
2. Certificate.   A licensed veterinarian who vaccinates or supervises the vaccination of a cat or dog shall issue to the owner or keeper or to a licensed kennel owner who vaccinates the owner's own animals under section 3923-C, subsection 7 a certificate of rabies vaccination approved by the State and shall indicate on the certificate the date by which a booster vaccination is required pursuant to subsection 1 or 1-A.
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §3923-C, sub-§7  is enacted to read:
 
7.  Vaccinations.     A kennel owner licensed under this section may vaccinate dogs owned by the kennel owner under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian as long as the veterinarian can attest to the training given and the ability of the kennel owner to proceed with vaccinations, as established by rule by the department. A copy of the certificate issued under section 3916, subsection 2 by the supervising veterinarian must be kept on the premises for inspection. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a kennel owner to purchase vaccinations from a licensed veterinarian and to vaccinate the kennel owner’s own dogs under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.