{"id":22923,"date":"2022-12-01T00:00:34","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T00:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=22923"},"modified":"2022-11-30T22:15:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T22:15:42","slug":"when-in-doubt-check-it-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/when-in-doubt-check-it-out\/","title":{"rendered":"When in Doubt, Check It Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

The forgery of pet vaccination papers, a sham that leaves cats and dogs vulnerable to diseases they\u2019re supposedly protected against, isn\u2019t new. One heartbreaking and almost tragic situation occurred in England after a family adopted a cocker spaniel from a breeder. The new owners thought they\u2019d done their due diligence, but the puppy, named Cooper, became quite ill with parvovirus. His veterinarian was suspicious of Cooper\u2019s vaccination record because it lacked signatures and dates. Fortunately, Cooper survived.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a Florida dog breeder was charged with forging a veterinarian\u2019s signature on fake pet certifications. And in another disturbing example, enough forged rabies records circulated in Maine a few years ago that the state opened an investigation.<\/p>\n

In one sense, phony animal vaccination records are comparable to fake COVID-19 vaccination documents, but a key difference exists: The patient named on the COVID paperwork knows that it\u2019s fraudulent, while pet owners trust the seller, who might be perpetuating fraud.<\/p>\n

Here are six ways veterinary professionals can address the problem.<\/p>\n

1. Scrutinize Everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When a client brings you a new pet\u2019s records, examine them closely, and train your staff to do so, too. In the example out of England, the vaccination card wasn\u2019t signed or dated. That\u2019s an obvious red flag. In the second example, a scammer forged a veterinarian\u2019s signature, which might not be as easy to catch. However, a team member who knows the veterinarian might notice the discrepancy.<\/p>\n

Here are additional safeguards for checking a document\u2019s authenticity:<\/p>\n