Calling the Shots: Protecting Your Pet Against Over Vaccination

Calling the Shots: Protecting Your Pet Against Over Vaccination
Noted Black Belt Dog Trainer Robert Cabral Urges Dog Owners to Take Action On
New California Rabies Bill

Robert Cabral recognized for his revolutionary Black Belt Dog Training, has become the leading voice of reason relating to California Rabies Bill AB 2689. He has taken to the blogosphere and airwaves, urging pet owners to contact committee members and tell them to modify the bill (http://bit.ly/bfPEb1). “Its main goal is
to increase revenue, not protect the dog,” says Cabral. “We want to change that and make the bill more pet friendly.”

Introduced by Assembly Member Cameron Smyth, the bill will require annual rabies vaccinations and for puppies to be vaccinated at three months of age in "rabies areas" as determined by the State Public Health Officer -- violation is impoundment. “I’ve read the bill, and at its core the problem is requiring dogs to be vaccinated at too young of an age,” says Cabral. “Further, impoundment just means more dogs in our shelters.” He adds that the duration of the vaccination period is not clear – it’s either one or three years.
The statewide standard is and should be three years. There are countless tests that will confirm that the rabies antibodies work for long after the prescribed vaccination period comes due. However, the greater issue for dog owners, he says is potentially harming dogs by exposing them to harmful vaccination agents early in life as well as over-vaccinating them.

A simpler solution that Cabral proposes is “titer” tests on dogs to see if they carry an antibody to rabies, thus providing pet owners the option to submit medical titer results as opposed to vaccination. The costs could be higher, he concedes, “but many people would gladly pay to keep their dogs from being over vaccinated. Making these options available and allowing people to license their dogs in this way would still see an increase in license fees.”

Subsequent to contacting committee members, Cabral advises dog owners to perform due diligence on vaccinations. “Some, granted not all, are unnecessary and can be dangerous to our pets,” he explains. “Really, some ‘vaccinations’ are primarily geared at revenue generation, nothing else.”

Cabral highlights the work of the Rabies Challenge Fund and its research to determine the amount of vaccines needed to protect animals against rabies. Asking for changes in the proposed legislation, Cabral emphasizes, is the first step toward protecting the health of our dogs—and saving money on vaccinations that are unnecessary.

“The greater collective of dog owners has a strong and significant voice,” Cabral says, “We have to use that voice now out of love and respect for our animals.” For more information, call Cabral at 310-308-5555 or email him at blackbeltdog@gmail.com.

About Robert Cabral
Robert Cabral is a professional dog behaviorist and trainer with a background in Japanese Martial Arts. He applies many of those principles in his Black Belt Dog Training, a Zen-like approach to transform dogs with difficult behavior patterns. In addition, his passion is the nonprofit he founded called Bound Angels (boundangels.org and boundangels.tv), which is dedicated to giving a voice to animals, in particular those living in our nation’s shelters at risk of being killed: some for bad behavior, some just because they are no longer wanted.

Robert has worked with countless shelter dogs, and as a result of his work, these animals have found loving homes. He also serves on the advisory board for K9 Connection in Los Angeles where he tests their dogs and speaks to at-risk teens and those in foster care about animal behavior.