The Rabies Challenge Fund Click on the links below and help achieve this important research goal! ã Robert W. Cauley - Photography MayApple.net About the Rabies Challenge Fund In Lieu of Flowers -- Consider Donating to The Rabies Challenge Fund The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization [Fed. EIN # 84-6390682]. Tax-deductible donations made with credit cards may be phoned into Hemopet (specify that it is for the Rabies Challenge Fund) by calling 714.891.2022, ext. 13. Or, you may also send a check payable to The Rabies Challenge Fund to: Rabies Challenge Fund c/o Hemopet 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843 Please fill out the Rabies Challenge Funds contact form with the name and address of the individual / family member so that they are aware of your thoughtful generosity. Hemopet/Pet Life-Line The Rabies Challenge Fund Tax-deductible donations are accepted via Visa, Master Card, American Express and PayPal. To donate to the Rabies Challenge Fund via Pay Pal, please click the Donate button: If you are making a donation to commemorate an event or in memory of a loved one, please indicate it in the payment for notation in PayPal. Message from Dr. Jean Dodds, Co-trustee November, 2006 Greetings All! Some big news for The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust: ... now has its own website ... If you read the text of the press release below, youll see the other big news is that Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine has volunteered his time to conduct the 5 and 7 year canine rabies challenge studies. If you recall, Dr. Schultzs research forms part of the scientific base for the American Animal Hospital Associations 2003 and 2006 Canine Vaccine Guidelines. The December 2006/January 2007 (Vol. 8, Issue 6) Animal Wellness Magazine features an article by Ann Brightman on the RCF entitled, How Often Does He REALLY Need a Rabies Shot? Since last year, Dr. W. Jean Dodds, of Hemopet and Co-Trustee of The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, and her staff have donated their time to ensure these vital studies are conducted for the benefit of our canine companions. We hope youll join us in this effort, too! Regards, Kris L. Christine Founder, Co-Trustee The Rabies Challenge Fund World-Famous Scientists Donate Services to The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust Two world-renowned giants of veterinary vaccine research -- Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet and Co-Trustee of The Rabies Challenge Fund and Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine -- have volunteered their time to ensure that critical 5 and 7 year rabies challenge studies are conducted in the United States. The studies are to be financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, a tax-exemption organization founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L. Christine of Maine in 2005, and will be performed by Dr. Schultz at the University of Wisconsin. The University has waived its usual 48% overhead fee for these studies. The concurrent challenge studies will determine the duration of immunity conveyed by the canine rabies vaccine, with the goal of extending the state-mandated interval for boosters to 5, and then to 7 years. According to Dr. Dodds, “This is one of the most important projects in veterinary medicine. It will benefit all dogs by providing evidence that protection from rabies vaccination lasts at least 5 years, thereby avoiding unnecessary revaccination with its attendant risk of debilitating adverse reactions. Scientific data indicate that vaccinating dogs against rabies every three years, as most states require, is unnecessary. Studies have shown the duration of protective immunity as measured by serum antibody titers against rabies virus to persist for seven years post-vaccination, and results of a 1992 French challenge study led by Michel Aubert demonstrated dogs were immune to rabies five years after vaccination. Researchers believe the rabies vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals and concur that it should not be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. Adverse reactions to rabies vaccination can include autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites. Dr. Schultz states that “[s]howing that a vaccine for rabies can provide 5 or preferably 7 years of immunity would have great significance not only in controlling rabies but more importantly in reducing the adverse vaccine reactions that can occur in dogs and cats after vaccination. More information on The Rabies Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies it will finance can be found at the fund’s newly established website ... March 30, 2006 UPDATE on The Rabies Challenge Fund!! The Rabies Challenge Fund has received IRS tax-exempt status (EIN # 84-6390682 as the official 501(c )(3) exempt registration). It has Public Charity Status 170(b) (1) (A) (vi). Effective Date of Exemption is December 12, 2005 and our Advance Ruling Ending Date is December 31, 2009. One of the worlds leading authorities on veterinary vaccines, Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will be conducting the rabies challenge studies. Dr. Schultz has been performing challenge studies on canine vaccines since the mid-1970s, and his data formed the scientific base for the American Animal Hospital Associations 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines. He is set to begin the rabies challenge studies as soon as the fund can raise the first years budget of $177,000. The University of Wisconsin is waiving its overhead charges for these studies. The only expenses coming out of the pre-grant funds are those for filing annual returns with IRS -- there are no salaried officers, building costs, etc... Except for IRS fees, all the money donated to The Rabies Challenge Fund will go directly to funding these studies. -- Cheers, Kris March 2006 UPDATED Information on THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND CHARITABLE TRUST [slightly edited by HLM --for emphasis] Permission Granted to Forward / Cross Post Dear Friends, Many dog caregivers across the country are becoming more and more aware of the possibility that over vaccination can have harmful effects on dogs - and the rabies vaccine is no exception. The incidence of rabies exposure in companion animals and humans, though very low today, still remains a distinct possibility. Consequently, the Federal and state governments require every dog to be vaccinated triennially (still even annually or biannually in a few states) against rabies. However, the veterinary community is increasingly concerned that rabies vaccination given this frequently is not only unnecessary but also responsible for inducing adverse reactions that lead to both acute and chronic immunological and other disorders. Although a French medical study completed in 1992 showed that rabies vaccine is protective for at least five years, Federal and state legislatures have not accepted this finding. Thus, the health and well-being of millions of dogs in the United States remain threatened by the potential for adverse vaccinal events. Surprisingly, formal, credible research has yet to be performed by either the manufacturers of rabies vaccines or U.S. academic institutions. The Federal and state legislatures want to see the results of such research before any relevant, existing policy or statute regarding rabies vaccination can be modified. Because of the complexities of politics and bureaucratic mindsets, the best way to change the rabies protocol is to prove through a challenge study that dogs not revaccinated for five and seven years after their first two vaccinations remain as protected against rabies as they were at the age of one year. Facilities and staff to commence this important research have been graciously offered by the University of Wisconsin/Madison under the auspices of Ronald D. Schultz, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine. W. Jean Dodds, DVM, is both the organizer and supervisor of this project . A world-renowned veterinarian in the fields of hematology, immunology, endocrinology, nutrition and holistic medicine, Dr. Dodds in 1986 established Hemopet, the first nonprofit national blood bank program that benefits dogs throughout North America. Forty dogs will be involved in the study at the University of Wisconsin/Madison. Twenty will be used for a five year study and the same number for a concurrently run seven year study. Because Drs. Dodds and Schultz believe through monitoring of rabies serologic studies and other experiences that the two rabies vaccinations a dog receives by one year of age are fully effective for life, they want to initially prove that effectiveness over a five-year as well as seven-year span. The successful completion of this research conducted according to Federally mandated guidelines should allow USDA licensing and state legislative acceptance of the tested rabies vaccine for more than three years. The University of Wisconsin will provide all of the necessary overhead for these studies free of charge and Dr. Schultz, the Principal Investigator, has volunteered his time involved in the formal conduct of the research. Dr. Dodds and her staff are donating their efforts as well in support of this project. A proforma of the direct expenses needed to complete both studies entails $177,000 for year one, $150,000 each for years two to five and $90,000 each for years six and seven. Dr. Dodds, Supervisor of this project, has established THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND CHARITABLE TRUST to solicit, receive and distribute funds to the University of Wisconsin Foundation in order to initiate, maintain and complete Dr. Schultzs research studies. Kris L. Christine, a leading pet vaccine disclosure activist, is the co-founder and co-trustee of this Trust. All gifts made to this charitable trust are deductible for Federal tax purposes and will be distributed in full to the University of Wisconsin Foundation. Donations to The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust may be sent to The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, c/o Hemopet, 11330 Markon Drive, Garden Grove, CA 92841. Any questions for Dr. Dodds may be emailed to Hemopet at hotmail . com [omit spaces and change at to @when emailing] and for Ms. Christine to LedgeSpring at Lincoln.midcoast . com [omit spaces & change at to @ when emailing] I hope that many of you will seriously consider making as generous a donation as possible to support this worthy project. The successful completion of these two studies will greatly benefit all dogs, which is, after all, the sole purpose of this undertaking. Thank you, Tunia and Bill Hyland Friends of The Rabies Challenge Fund December 3, 2005 Hello Friends of Companion Animals, Something which has concerned me for a very long time is the over-vaccination of companion animals -- especially because, from what Ive read, theres no scientific justification for annual vaccinations. More on that is available at the following Web Pages: VACCINATIONS A practice that was started many years ago and that lacks scientific validity or verification is annual revaccinations. from Kirks Current Veterinary Therapy, Volume XI Getting Educated in Order to Make Informed Decisions Concerning our Animal Companions A very aggressive cancer: Vaccine-Associated Feline Sarcoma The GOOD NEWS is that, for the first time, ever veterinary experts are willing to do a STUDY in order to show just how long a rabies vaccination is protective. This is referred to as Duration Of Immunity (DOI). These kinds of studies are very expensive and, as I see it, not in the manufacturers interest to conduct, since less vaccinations would mean lower sales of vaccines and less income for them. Thankfully, two wonderful people have established a FUND in order to pay for this MUCH-NEEDED work on behalf of our companion animals: Spearheaded by Dr. Jean Dodds and Kris Christine. In addition to the Rabies Vaccination Challenge Study, The Fund will: Finance a STUDY of the ADJUVANTS used in veterinary rabies vaccines. and Establish a Rabies Vaccination Adverse Reaction Reporting System. Many of us donate to worthy causes (especially in December) and this one is surely something to SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. The main reason is because of the POSITIVE CHANGES the Study will bring about with regard to the LEGAL requirements for rabies vaccination. There will be SCIENCE to justify the law -- and thereby reduce over-vaccination -- which will drastically reduce the suffering of companion animals! PLEASE, Donate! To use your credit card – call Hemopet in California: 714/ 891-2022 -- or send along a check, made payable to: THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND CHARITABLE TRUST THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND Mail it to: c/o Hemopet 11561 Salinaz Avenue (new address) Garden Grove, CA 92841 About Dr. Jean Dodds: Dr. Dodds is founder of HEMOPET, the non-profit animal blood bank, and a friend to animal lovers the world over. HEMOPET is where we can have blood tests to check for vaccine antibodies instead of unnecessarily re-vaccinating our companion animals. She has written excellent articles that everyone, especially our veterinarians, should read. An internationally recognized authority on thyroid issues in dogs and blood diseases in animals, Dr. Dodds is a grantee of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and author of over 150 research publications. Through Hemopet she provides canine blood components and blood-bank supplies throughout North America, consults in clinical pathology, vaccine antibody titers, and lectures worldwide. All the Best, Helen Helen McKinnon Administrator of Companion Animal Care - Naturally Internet Discussion Group Editor of the Groups Newsletter: Companion Animals - Natural Care Member, National Animal Interest Alliance Member, North Carolina Responsible Animal Owners Alliance If a diet is unnatural, disease will keep company with those subjected to it. ---- Juliette de Bairacli Levy, Author of “The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat”, first published in 1955 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit the Groups Links for a wealth of info - answers to MANY QUESTIONS will be found there. / Group Database: Favorite Products, Professionals, Web Sites, Books, Recipes, etc. Newsletter associated w/ Group (Open Membership): ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ October 2005 Rabies Challenge kicks off fundraiser BY AARON MILLER ALNA - A world-renown vaccine research scientist has teamed up with a local woman to raise money to fund a seven-year rabies vaccine challenge study. Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California and Alna resident Kris Christine are spearheading The Rabies Challenge Fund, an effort to raise $1.5 million to finance two concurrent canine rabies vaccine challenge studies - one for five years and another for seven years. In addition, the funds will pay for a study of canine rabies vaccine adjuvants and will set up a rabies vaccine adverse reactions reporting system. The purpose is to determine, by challenge studies designed according to USDA acceptable federal licensing standards, if they confer immunity for five or seven years. To date, most states require rabies vaccination every three years, but some states still require annual rabies revaccination, even though the USDA licenses these vaccines for three years, according to Dodds. ”As rabies vaccines are known to elicit severe and even fatal adverse reactions, and are among the strongest vaccines antigenically and contain potent adjuvants to bolster their immunologic effect, giving them more often than truly needed is unwise, unnecessary, and can be unsafe,“ Dodds said. Dr. Dodds received the D.V.M. degree with honors in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Toronto. In 1965 she joined the New York State Health Department in Albany and began comparative studies of animals with inherited and acquired bleeding diseases. Her position there began as a Research Scientist and culminated as the chief of Laboratory of Hematology at the Wadsworth Center. In 1980 she also became Executive Director of the New York State Council on Human Blood and Transfusion Services. This work continued full-time until 1986 when she moved to Southern California to establish Hemopet, the first nonprofit national blood bank program for animals. She supported Wiscasset Rep. Peter Rines proposed legislation ”LD 429, An Act to Require Veterinarians to Provide Vaccine Disclosure Forms,“ aimed at providing information regarding proven or demonstrated durations of immunity as well as advantages and disadvantages of vaccines. A legislative committee recommended that the proposal ought not to pass, but asked Maine veterinarians to voluntarily provide such information to pet owners. Veterinarians were asked to report back to the committee in December, 2005. Cynics have said the real reason some states still hold out for the annual rabies revaccination is to generate additional licensing revenue, Dodds said. According to an August 2004 Veterinary Economics cover story entitled Targeting Changing Vaccine Protocols, ”In the 1970s and 1980s many veterinarians derived a substantial percent of their total incomes from vaccinating dogs and cats.“ Roger F. Cummings and James E. Guenther wrote that ”in many practices today, the vaccination reminder is the one thing that drives visits from healthy pets.“ The only vaccination for pets required by Maine law is rabies immunization, according to Maine Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Robert Gholson. Its difficult to determine how often cats and dogs receive vaccinations because recommendations are driven by the drug manufacturers, Gholson said in an earlier interview. He said veterinarians will take those recommendations into account as well as the pets lifestyles, but discussing vaccinations with clients can be difficult. Christine, who inadvertently learned her veterinarian administered an unneeded vaccination to her dog, Meadow, said the challenge study is long overdue. ”We need to make it safe, which I believe the study will help with and determine how long these vaccines provide immunity,“ Christine said. Funds raised will be donated to veterinary medical universities in the United States to conduct the scientific studies and to set up the adverse reporting system. Since setting up the bank account in mid-September, about $2,500 has been raised so far. The funds are being collected and deposited into a separately designated bank account (Rabies Challenge Fund) by Dodds Hemopet staff. Both Christine and Dodds are in the process of setting up a separate 501(c)(3) charitable trust for this fund. Funds raised will be donated to veterinary medical universities in the United States to conduct the scientific studies. ”Certainly, veterinarians are aware of the adverse reactions that can occur after rabies and other vaccinations in dogs and cats,“ Dodds said. ”The public is the body most motivated to address the issues here, because it is some of their beloved companions that have suffered by the existing regulations.“ Donations may be sent to: The Rabies Challenge Fund, c/o Hemopet, 11330 Markon Drive, Garden Grove, CA, 92841. Aaron Miller may be reached at amiller@courierpub ____________________________________________________________________ September 2005 Hello Friends, We have just received GREAT NEWS from Peter & Kris Christine! Thank You, Dr. Jean Dodds! From: Peter & Kris Christine [mailto:LedgeSpring @ Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 4:39 AM Subject: Rabies Challenge Fund!!! (contact Helen at Link below for Kris email address) Greetings All!!! Important news for companion animal owners and lovers (see below and Denise Flaims 9/19/05 story Challenging the Rabies Vaccine in Newsday n permission is granted to post and cross-post this message. n Please help to spread the word so we can get these studies underway as soon as possible. Regards, Kris Christine The Rabies Challenge Fund World-renown vaccine research scientist and practicing veterinarian, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California, and pet vaccine disclosure advocate, Kris L. Christine of Maine, have established The Rabies Challenge Fund to raise money to fund a 7 year rabies vaccine challenge study in the United States. In addition to the challenge study, the fund will finance a study of the adjuvants used in veterinary rabies vaccines and establish a rabies vaccine adverse reaction reporting system. Rabies vaccination is the one immunization required by law across the country for domestic dogs and cats. Researchers believe this vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals. The Rabies Challenge Fund has been founded to improve the safety of rabies vaccines and to determine, by challenge, if they confer immunity for 5, 6, or 7 years. The Rabies Challenge Fund’s first official sponsors are Deb Odom (Florida) and Dawn Turner (Arizona), who have committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their pet vaccine informed consent posters and informational flyers. Donations can be sent to THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND, c/o Hemopet, 11561 Salinaz Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92841. Rabies Challenge Fund poster designed by fund sponsor Deb Odom is accessible [here]. For additional Information: about Dr. Jean Dodds Dr. Jean Dodds, Kris Christine & Friends -- on recent Vaccination Legislation ___________________________ Caring more naturally for your companion animals -- Would you like to learn more and share your knowledge with others? Consider joining Helens Internet Discussion Group, its free and on occasion, features a Special Guest, answering Members questions. Click here to join CompanionAnimalCare-Naturally Click to join CompanionAnimalCare-Naturally ã Copyright 1995-2012 Helen L. McKinnon All Rights Reserved Your comments, questions, suggestions are welcomed: Back to ItsForTheAnimals Index Page
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:10:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015