# Proving authenticity of a dog's vaccination record? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2012, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413 "2012-08-04T11:20:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ManiacMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/41 "2012-08-06T00:35:16Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Human-aggressive behavior and problems would have more importance than rabies status in many, if not most jurisdictions. The problem there won’t be solved by a current vaccination status, and that would be more an animal control (or police) report instead of a public health issue (as it would be more with rabies). > > Also, the fact that he gave you an excel spreadsheet with the vaccination info is more than what would be expected, as the owner has no obligation to show anything like that to _you_. That would be something the owner (or the dog’s veterinarian) would have to deal with the appropriate authorities, not you. In the particular county, it seems the animal control office is unconcerned enough to use the “wait 10 days and if nothing happens, dog is in the clear” approach, although that doesn’t do anything with the aggressive behavior (which should be reported if it hasn’t already). If they’re treating it that way, so should you. > > Again, vaccination status doesn’t matter much if the dog has bitten a human (mostly only clinical signs matter), and in some jurisdictions with very low sylvatic rabies, they may not be at all concerned about that possibility. I gotcha. I pretty much said as much earlier. I have reasons why I asked my question in the first post. But with what I learned from the kind people on these boards, and from the very helpful health department person my fears/concerns have been diminished greatly. Had the owner not been such a prickly and had the animal control officer explained things…more…I wouldnt have to bother like this. But it was at least educational and I thank all who offered such excellent advise. This might happen one day to someone who has read this thread, or someone who hasn’t yet and the info will be helpful nonetheless. Peace out. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/42 "2012-08-06T01:18:06Z")
I’m more concerned now for the aggression, though. Your child will be fine, but later kids may have more problems. I do hope the appropriate people in the area take some note (or record, or something). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/43 "2012-08-06T05:40:01Z")
Yeah, I’m getting that the public health and animal control authorities just don’t seem very concerned about this case, _apparently_ because there’s basically no danger of rabies here and they know it, but _possibly_ because they are just bureaucratic jerk-offs giving you the run-around or because Mr. Celebrity has some pull. So your related complaint here is that some of those authorities just blew you off instead of helpfully explaining to you their positions on the risk, the vaccination status, the dogtags, the certificate, and everything – and in the process left you twisting slowly in the wind. Maybe you want to pursue lobbying those authorities, or their higher-ups, to be more sensitive to the concerns of worried parents, and be willing to take more time to explain the things that everybody on this thread has been explaining. After all, they supposedly know their stuff. Everybody on this thread is just offering their best speculations, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/44 "2012-08-06T10:53:51Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Maybe you want to pursue lobbying those authorities, or their higher-ups, to be more sensitive to the concerns of worried parents, If your local department of health did not perform properly, the state department of health is where I would direct my complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/45 "2012-08-06T20:00:52Z")
How interesting. A few years back, here in San Diego, CA, I was walking my corgi by a neighborhood home where the head of security at a local Government office lived. This guy had a German Shepard guard dog which included one of those signs that said something like “My dog can reach the other side of this fence in two seconds. Can you run that fast? BEWARE OF DOG!”. Meanwhile, he left his side gate open and his dog got out. His dog proceeded to grab my dog and try to kill her. I started punching his dog, which then turned it’s attention to me and bit me numerous times on both hands, puncturing the skin quite a bit. In his case, he also lied and said this was the ‘first time it happened’ though a neighbor told me the dog had attacked his Australian Shepard as well on a previous occasion. I think the lie is all about you not having his dog put down and/or suing him via his homeowner’s insurance. In my case, he paid me for all my vet bills, my lost time at work, and everything else to the tune of several thousand dollars. He provided the dated vaccine records showing his dog was vaccinated for rabies, but the dog was quarantined anyway. Thankfully, he’s since moved and I have no idea what happened to his dog. I now have a new dog and for many years, we had no one in the neighborhood with a vicious dog. Now I see a guy with a pit bull who visibly changes his posture when he sees someone with another dog coming because his dog yanks the crap out of the leash trying to attack other dogs. To this I wonder how long it will be before the leash gets away from him and someone or some dog gets mauled. Personally, I don’t understand these people who otherwise have shitty dogs like this, or why they don’t at least put shock collars on them to control them if they didn’t realize the dog was this way when they first got the dog. ---
**Author:** ![ManiacMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413/46 "2012-08-09T01:38:24Z")
Well…I was able to procure a rabies certificate that contradicts the crappy email document that the owner of the dog provided. Basically, he passed off a document that showed dates for vaccinations that were DUE. I called the vet office and they verified that those dates were due dates. This misled my wife and I into thinking that the dog was already vaccinated earlier this year. I now have a document in my possession with the signature of the dog’s doctor showing that the dog was vaccinated for rabies just 3 days after my son was bitten. So now I don’t know what to do, or even if I have any options at all. I cannot believe what a POST this person is to pull something like this. He really did a number on us and I am extremely pissed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proving-authenticity-of-a-dogs-vaccination-record/630413.md?page=2)