S.C. legislators urged to let veterinary team members give rabies vaccinations

Columbia, S.C.

-- The South Carolina Association of Veterinarians (SCAV) is pushing state legislators to allow veterinary team members to give rabies vaccines. At present, only veterinarians can administer the vaccination to cats and dogs.

They back a proposal that would allow both veterinary assistants and licensed technicians to inoculate companion animals for rabies as long it's done under a veterinarian’s direct supervision.

The SCAV and the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control also seek to raise the cap on rabies vaccine charges from $3 to $10. The low cap has made it more difficult for veterinarians to recoup costs when they take time away from practice to give vaccines in underserved rural communities, according to Marie Queen, SCAV executive director.

The South Carolina House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources will consider the revisions when the legislative period starts again in January. Queen doesn’t anticipate opposition.