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Wolf Dog Coalition - Federal Cover Letter
October 25, 1996
Dear Sir:
We attended a USDA meeting in April for informational purposes on the approval of the current canine rabies vaccines for wolves and wolf dogs. Upon the conclusion of the meeting it seemed certain to everyone in attendance, including the state veterinarian of Alabama, that the USDA would grant approval. This was strongly believed because the consensus of all of the invited scientists was that the rabies vaccine would work on wolves and wolf dogs as well as it does on other canines.
As you can imagine, we were extremely disappointed to receive a letter in July informing us the USDA would continue to make no decision on this matter, stating a need for "further study" as they have done for many years. We have assembled pertinent information which we hope will convince you to help us resolve this issue.
There are an estimated 300,000 to 2.5 million wolf dogs in the United States today. The USDA has consistently ignored scientific evidence that the rabies vaccine is effective in these canines and the result may well be a reservoir of unvaccinated dogs that could prove to be a significant public health risk. In addition the lack of approval sparks attempts to legislate against these canines forcing people to give up beloved pets or to hide them and in many cases fail to vaccinate them against the deadly disease of rabies.
The following registries and wolf dog protection organizations have come together to ask your help:
Thank you for your consideration. If you have any further questions please contact us at [ telephone numbers ].
Sincerely,
Questions ? Contact The Wolf Dog Coalition (
psykowuf@erols.com ).