Doctors and veterinarians clash over proposed dog vaccination law

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has called for amendments to a proposed law governing dog vaccination and registration, while veterinary professionals have rejected the move and argued that supervision of animal vaccination should remain with trained veterinarians.

GMOA spokesman Dr Lasitha Kannangara, speaking at a media briefing in Colombo on Friday, said several provisions in the Bill should be changed.

The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government has introduced the legislation as part of efforts to eliminate rabies and establish a formal system for registering dogs.

The Bill also seeks to regulate dog vaccination, control the dog population and regulate the commercial breeding of dogs.

Under the proposed law, every dog within an administrative area would have to be vaccinated against rabies and registered annually.

Section 4 states that rabies vaccines may be administered to dogs only by a veterinary surgeon or under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon.

The GMOA has argued that this provision could undermine the government’s efforts to reduce deaths from rabies.

Veterinary professionals, however, have opposed the GMOA’s call for changes.

Dr Chamith Nanayakkara, convenor of the Veterinary Collective for Humane Animal Population Management, said rabies elimination involved two distinct areas: controlling rabies among animals and preventing rabies among humans.

He said veterinary surgeons were trained in animal diseases and animal treatment, while medical doctors were trained to treat humans.

Nanayakkara said there would be no issue if medical doctors had been trained to treat animals or were registered with the Veterinary Council.

He also criticised proposals for Medical Officers of Health to be given supervisory responsibility over dog vaccination programmes.

“We do not go and treat children as veterinary surgeons. We did not go and vaccinate people during the COVID-19 pandemic because we know exactly what our professional responsibilities are,” he said.

Nanayakkara said it was therefore disappointing that an organisation campaigning for the professional rights of doctors was seeking changes affecting the responsibilities of veterinary professionals.