Proposal pushes owner OK for vaccines

CARSON CITY, NEV. — The Nevada Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) is monitoring two bills, including one requiring DVMs to obtain owner authorization prior to administering vaccines or performing diagnostics on animals.

Assembly Bill 263 prohibits veterinarians from "misrepresenting certain information concerning the vaccination or diagnostic procedure." The goal is to inform owners of "potential adverse side effects." While the bill does not outline repercussions for violations, its fiscal notes list jail time as a cost factor.

"Nevada currently has laws that deal with this issue, and we're opposed to this," Executive Director Michelle Wagner says.

A.B. 263 currently is being hashed out in the Committee on Commerce and Labor.

A less imposing piece of legislation seeks to add a bittering agent to antifreeze to deter children and animals from consuming the substance.

NVMA supports the initiative, which is backed by the Doris Day Animal League.