NASHVILLE - House Budget Subcommittee members today approved a $1 fee on rabies vaccinations despite concerns voiced by a Chattanooga veterinarian.
"The Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association has a sincere concern that this bill is going to decrease the number of pets vaccinated for rabies across the state, which is going to create a public health risk," veterinarian Dr. Randy Hammon warned.
He said the fee would create a "hardship on the low- and fixed-income families" and owners of more than one pet.
House Speaker Kent Williams took issue with that statement.
"You actually think they won't get their animals vaccinated for rabies because of $1?" he asked. "The people that I know - and I've had animals and my children have animals - I really don't think $1 is going to make a tremendous amount of difference. If you love your animals, you're going to protect your animals."
Dr. Hammon said the key is not to do anything that people might see as a roadblock to vaccinating their pets.
"The challenge is we're looking at rural areas and we're looking at things to not disincentivize people," he said. "It's estimated that only 20 percent of the animals are vaccinated for rabies in the state of Tennessee."
The $1 fee would raise an estimated $1 million which would go toward helping the state's $1.8 million rabies investigation program during tough budget times.
The measure appears to be having problems in the Senate.