Vets bridle at vaccine-dodging pet owners
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. have said.
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 who publicize side-effects.
The growing movement prompted the 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, N.Y., dismissed the fears over vaccinations. “It’s a little different. My patients eat dirt. They eat poop,” she said. “I had a client, concerned about an autistic child, who didn’t want to vaccinate the dog for the same reason (autism). But we’ve never diagnosed autism in a dog. I don’t think you could.”
Dr. Amy Ford, of Boerum Hill’s Veterinary Wellness Center, told The Brooklyn Eagle that “it’s actually much more common in the hipstery areas.”
John Clifton runs the Stop the Shots website. His activism was inspired by the illness of Sparky, his Australian terrier which was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 at the age of six. The dog’s vet advised against vaccinations after chemotherapy treatment. Clifton researched the issue and concluded that there were multiple dangers associated with vaccinations.
“Most pets today are being given too many vaccinations too often,” he writes, admitting that he does not have a scientific background.
“Many caretakers are unaware of the known risks inherent in vaccines. Studies upon studies have been performed that show the very real dangers in over-vaccinating and the risks involved every time a pet gets a shot.”
His beliefs are supported by Dana Scottof Dogs Naturally, which publishes a guide to “know if your vet is vaccinating your dog too often.”
But the American Veterinary Medicine Association notes: “The widespread use of vaccinations ... has prevented death and disease in millions of animals. Any treatment has associated risks, but the risk should be weighed against the benefits of protecting your pet ... from potentially fatal diseases.”