TEXAS STATE CODE
TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TITLE 25. HEALTH SERVICES PART
1. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES CHAPTER 169. ZOONOSIS CONTROL SUBCHAPTER A. RABIES CONTROL AND ERADICATION RULE §169.29
VACCINATION REQUIREMENT
(A) The custodian (excluding animal shelters as defined in the Texas Health and Safety Code, §823.001) of each dog or cat shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies by 16 weeks of age. The animal must be vaccinated by or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian with rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture for that species at or after the minimum age requirement and using the recommended route of administration for the vaccine. If a previously vaccinated animal is overdue for a booster, once re-vaccinated, the animal will be considered currently vaccinated; the animal should be placed on a vaccination schedule according to the maximum labeled duration of immunity for the most recently administered vaccine. The attending veterinarian has discretion as to when the subsequent vaccination will be scheduled as long as the re-vaccination due date does not exceed the recommended interval for booster vaccination as established by the manufacturer or vaccination requirements instituted by local ordinance. Livestock, domestic ferrets, and wolf-dog hybrids should be vaccinated against rabies. Among livestock species, vaccination of equines and others that have frequent contact with humans is strongly advised. The administration of a rabies vaccine in a species for which no licensed vaccine is available is at the discretion of the veterinarian; however, an animal receiving a rabies vaccine under these conditions will not be considered to be vaccinated against rabies virus in potential rabies exposure situations.
(B) An official rabies vaccination certificate shall be issued for each animal by the veterinarian responsible for administration of the vaccine and contain the following information:
- custodian’s name, address, and telephone number;
- animal identification-species, sex (including neutered if applicable), approximate age, size (pounds), predominant breed, and colors;
- vaccine used-product name, manufacturer, and serial number;
- date vaccinated;
- re-vaccination due date;
- rabies tag number if a tag is issued;
- veterinarian’s signature, signature stamp, or computerized signature, plus address and license number.
(C) Each veterinarian who issues a rabies vaccination certificate, or the veterinary practice where the certificate was issued, shall retain a readily retrievable copy of the certificate for a period of not less than five years.
(D) If a veterinarian ceases the practice of veterinary medicine, the duplicate rabies vaccination certificates retained by that practice shall be turned over to the local rabies control authority. This does not apply to the sale or lease of a practice, when the records of the practice are transferred to a new owner.
(E) The custodian shall retain each rabies vaccination certificate until the animal receives a subsequent booster and shall produce the certificate upon request by any local rabies control authority, public health official, or animal control, law enforcement, or peace officer when the request is part of the requester’s official duty.
Source Note: The provisions of this §169.29 adopted to be effective April 1, 1980, 5 TexReg 812;amended to be effective March 29, 1988, 13 TexReg 1337; amended to be effective February 22, 1993, 18 TexReg 845; amended to be effective February 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 963; amended to be effective August 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 7660; amended to be effective July 12, 1998, 23 TexReg 7224; amended to be effective March 19, 2003, 28 TexReg 2341; amended to be effective December 20, 2007, 32 TexReg 9341; amended to be effective March 31, 2013, 38 TexReg 1994
