RABIES VACCINATION REQUIREMENT — STATE OF MISSISSIPPI LAW

  • Below is the full text of Mississippi Code § 41-53-1, which establishes the statewide rabies vaccination requirement:
    • “Every person in the State of Mississippi who owns, or has in his or her possession, any dog or cat of the age of three (3) months or over shall have said dog or cat inoculated (vaccinated) against rabies with the recommended dosage of an anti-rabic virus (vaccine) approved by the State Board of Health, and it shall be unlawful for any person to own or have in his or her possession any dog or cat three (3) months of age or over which has not been inoculated (vaccinated) against rabies as herein provided. The vaccination required herein shall be kept current according to the State Board of Health’s regulations concerning rabies vaccination and approved vaccines.”

  • Clinic Policy Based on This Law:
    • We are legally required to verify that all dogs and cats are current on rabies vaccination before providing examinations, treatments, or prescribing medications.
    • If your pet is not current, the rabies vaccine must be updated at the time of the appointment, provided the pet is healthy enough to receive it.
    • We cannot legally treat or prescribe medication for unvaccinated pets.

NEW PATIENT APPOINTMENT POLICY:

  • A NONREFUNDABLE $50 New Client Deposit is required in order to book your first appointment. This goes on your account as a credit and will be taken off your first visit. If your first appointment is cancelled or no-showed, you will forfeit the deposit and be required to make another one in order to book. The visit can be rescheduled ONCE but if it is rescheduled a SECOND time, the deposit will be forfeited and you will be required to make another deposit in order to reschedule the third time.

SURGERY DEPOSIT

  • ALL PETS that come into our clinic for a preoperative exam will leave with a treatment estimate for the procedure.
  • HALF of the treatment estimate is required in order to book the procedure. If the procedure is cancelled or no-showed, you will forfeit the deposit and be required to make another one in order to book. The visit can be rescheduled ONCE but if it is rescheduled a SECOND time, the deposit will be forfeited and you will be required to make another deposit in order to reschedule.

APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION POLICY:

  • All appointments must be confirmed by 4:00 PM the day before the scheduled visit.
  • Unconfirmed appointments will be automatically canceled.
  • Confirmation reminders are sent via text or phone call for your convenience.

NO-SHOW, CANCELLATION, & RESCHEDULING POLICY:

  • Any appointment not kept and not cancelled in advance will be recorded as a No-Show.
  • A No-Show Fee equal to the cost of that day’s office visit will be added to the client’s account.
  • After 2 no-show’s, a $50 deposit will be required before scheduling future appointments. This deposit will be applied to the next visit.
  • Each client is allowed TWO reschedules for their appointment, if an appointment is rescheduled a THIRD time, the client will be required to pay a $50 NONREFUNDABLE deposit to secure that appointment. If the third appointment is rescheduled, the deposit will be forfeited and you will be required to make another deposit in order to reschedule again.

DROP OFF/BOARDING POLICY

  • ALL PETS who board or drop off in our facility must be up to date on ALL VACCINATIONS.

VETERINARIAN-CLIENT PATIENT RELATIONSHIP (VCPR)

  • There are two requirements in order to have an established VCPR.
    • A current Rabies Vaccination
    • Patient has been seen in our clinic within the last year.
      • If these TWO things are not applicable to a client, we have no relationship with them and therefore are not required to prescribe medications or give treatments.

HEARTWORM PREVENTION POLICY

  • ALL PETS must have a current heartworm test and current rabies vaccination in order to receive any type of heartworm prevention.
  • If our records indicate a 3+ MONTH GAP IN PREVENTION, the patient MUST come in for an updated heartworm test.

THIRD PARTY MEDICAL RECORD RELEASE POLICY:

  • All pet owners will have to fill out a “Third Party Medical Release Form” in order for someone else to obtain their pet’s records. We will not share records with anyone unless it is another accredited clinic.

Thank you for your cooperation.