Hipsters pass on pet vaccinations

NEW YORK — Hipster pet owners are increasingly refusing to vaccinate their animals, in the latest twist in the spread of the “anti-vax” movement, veterinarians in the U.S. say.

Vets in fashionable areas of New York are among those reporting a significant rise in the number of pet owners who are rejecting immunization because of fear propagated by fringe groups that publicize side-effects.

The growing movement prompted the influential U.S. wellness website, Care2, to issue a warning to anyone considering not vaccinating their pets.

“Given that preventable diseases like rabies pose a serious danger to anyone around the afflicted animal, vaccine denial flies in the face of established veterinary medicine, animal welfare and community health,” it said.

Stephanie Liff, owner of Pure Paws Veterinary Care, of Brooklyn and Hell’s Kitchen, New York, dismissed the fears over vaccinations.

“It’s a little different. My patients eat dirt. They eat poop,” she said.

Dana Scott, editor in chief of Dogs Naturally, supports key vaccines such as those against rabies, but she claims that repeat vaccinations are being administered too frequently.

“Over-vaccination can cause your dog problems ranging from immediate allergic reactions to lifelong chronic disease and even death,” she said.

But some vets caution the trend could have lasting implications.

The American Veterinary Medicine Association notes: “The widespread use of vaccinations ... has prevented death and disease in millions of animals.”