I was just notified that some puppies that I photographed the other day tested positive for parvo. There is four of them, and they were surrendered when the local vet threatened to prosecute the owner for neglect. Long story short, I photographed them for their adoption shots, which means that I had to interact with them.

Now I have my own dogs, who have been vaccinated through regular health checkups, but I dont want to bring anything home. I'm sure that 99.99999999% of the time this isn't an issue, but it did raise a question in my mind.

How many of you inquire about a pets health, or require vaccination certs before you interact with them?

I've thought about it a bit when working with the rescues and thought about it a little more with the recent spike in dog flu in the area. I haven't gone beyond thinking about it and taking the usual precautions like hand washing, etc.

The shows where I shoot require proof of vaccination. If I shoot any animal not in the show I ask the owner for assurances that shots are up to date and the animals are in good health. I interact with cats, and bites can occur, it is only good sense to be sure that Rabies and other shots are up to date.

I also sanitize equipment and backdrops constantly. Hard surfaces are treated with Oxyquat. When I come home my clothes go straight in the wash before my cats can 'check them out'. If I realize after a shoot that the animal was ill, I retire the backdrop and disinfect my whole shooting area. I don't allow toys or teases to be grabbed in the mouth, or if they do 'get it' the tease is retired. I also wash my hands or use hand sanitizer between each customer. In the rare case that I discover a cat is sick after the shoot has begun I have even thrown the ink pen away that the person used to sign up.

So, in short, I take it very seriously.

It's a real issue and one that isn't easy to police. At dog shows, the dogs that are exhibited are required by state law to be current on rabies but, other than that, they do not have to provide proof of immunization. And, frankly, lots of stuff comes home from dog shows. When we have puppies on the ground, I don't allow people to visit directly from a show without changing their clothes and using a ton of hand-sanitizer. And even then, I'd prefer they not visit until the pups are showing a positive Parvo titre.

Also, while I'm very active in Rottie Rescue, I will not visit any Animal Control facility when we have puppies on the ground. Nor will I do one-on-one evaluations. I will not put my puppies at risk for any reason.

For portraits, I have more control of the dogs I shoot and if I have any doubts about their immunization protocol, I ask the owner to provide shot records. I must admit I'm a little less meticulous about the toys than Preston which is probably not a good idea. I do put all toys into the wash after each shoot and I also wash my backdrops after each shoot. Since my toys generally only last for two or three shoots, they tend to get recycled via "normal wear and tear". I shoot a lot of Rotties. Toys don't last long.

The danger in shooting shelter dogs of any type is that they carry whatever is going through the shelter at that moment in time. Plus, puppies coming off the street are very likely to be carrying Parvo. Keep in mind that if the mom was feral, the puppies only had her colostrum to provide immunization. And that only lasts for 12 weeks or so. If they came out of a "home" where they ended up in the shelter, they probably did not get any shots either.

You would think that dogs being exhibited in dog shows would be the most likely dogs to have an aggressive immunization protocol but in today's economic environment, people cut back where they can and often it's in the wellness treatment of their animals. Good question, Christopher.

Jim

I think dog shows are equivalent to day cares(human) as far as diseases go. My dogs have picked up stuff there A LOT. Horrid puking/diarrhea stuff. I do vaccinate occasionally for kennel cough, and mine have not gotten it even when dogs WITH kennel cough have drank from their buckets.

Since my dogs are adults, have healthy immune systems, and have had plenty of exposure, I do not worry about MINE. I go to the shelter and there is always parvo. I do not take precautions.

As far as dogs in my studio? Most are adults and I have a clientelle that is very conscientious. These are long term pampered pets. Its just not something I am overly concerned over
If I ever have a litter of puppies, I will not be going to shows, or going to the shelter(inside) for that time frame.

I agree with Julie's analogy to day care. My cats live in a bubble, they are inside cats and only go out for Vet visits so they have zero exposure. That is why I take precautions when returning from a show. The shows are not inherently dangerous. The cats that are shown can get exposed to sniffles and such and build an immunity to it just as a child who attends public school builds more immunity than one who is entirely home-schooled. Shows are also self-policing because each cat is personally handled by six to twelve professional and trained judges, a cat showing any sign of illness would be DQ'ed and would have to leave the show hall.