1. (a) The owner or custodian (excluding animal shelters) of each domestic dog or cat shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies by four months of age. The animal must receive a booster within the 12-month interval following the initial vaccination. Every domestic dog or cat must be revaccinated against rabies at a minimum of at least once every three years with a rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The vaccine must be administered according to label recommendations. Livestock (especially those that have frequent contact with humans), domestic ferrets, and wolf-dog hybrids should be vaccinated against rabies. Nothing in this section prohibits a veterinarian and owner or custodian from selecting a more frequent rabies vaccination interval. Health and Safety Code, §§826.014 and 826.015 allow local jurisdictions to establish more frequent rabies vaccination intervals.

2. (b) Official rabies vaccination certificates shall be issued by the vaccinating veterinarian and contain the following information:

   1. (1) owner's name, address, and telephone number;
   2. (2) animal identification-species, sex (including neutered if applicable), approximate age (three months to 12 months, 12 months or older), size (pounds), predominant breed, and colors;
   3. (3) vaccine used-producer, expiration date, and serial number;
   4. (4) date vaccinated;
   5. (5) date vaccination expires (revaccination due date);
   6. (6) rabies tag number if a tag is issued;
   7. (7) veterinarian's signature or signature stamp and license number.
3. (c) A copy of each rabies vaccination certificate issued shall be retained by the issuing veterinarian and be readily retrievable for a period of not less than five years from the date of issuance.
4. (d) If a veterinarian ceases the practice of veterinary medicine, the duplicate rabies vaccination certificates retained by that practice shall be turned over to the local rabies control authority. This does not apply to the sale or lease of a practice, when the records of the practice are transferred to a new owner.

Source Note:The provisions of this §169.29 adopted to be effective April 1, 1980, 5 TexReg 812; amended to be effective March 29, 1988, 13 TexReg 1337; amended to be effective February 22, 1993, 18 TexReg 845; amended to be effective February 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 963; amended to be effective August 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 7660; amended to be effective July 12, 1998, 23 TexReg 7224; amended to be effective March 19, 2003, 28 TexReg 2341.