No IMRAB

Illustration of black wolf silhouette behind red NO symbol with white text on white background.

IMRAB is a rabies vaccination that helps pets and livestock with immunity to the rabies virus. Rabies is a virus that targets the central nervous system and different species of animals are particularly vulnerable to this virus. Rabies is a dangerous virus because any mammal can contract any strain; for example, a skunk can contract raccoon rabies. There are currently no approved rabies vaccines for wildlife (feral, non-domestic) although in some cases, animals are vaccinated in what is considered an off-label use.

Although the IMRAB vaccine has been used for scientific data, such as a trap-vaccinate-release program, it is impractical on large scale animal populations. The preferred method of addressing rabies in wildlife is to place an oral vaccine in bait that is left out for animals, although that strategy, too, has its limitations.

For pets, the IMRAB vaccine has been in use for over 30 years. It is approved for use in dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, cattle, and sheep. According to the manufacturer, it is descended from the world’s first rabies vaccine from Institute Pasteur-Mérieux.

In 1999, there was a proposed amendment to the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act that would broaden the definition of dog to include members of the species Canis familiaris or Canis lupus or any wolf-dog hybrid. In 2001, in response to public pressure, the proposal was withdrawn. The main concerns were that there were not adequate studies about the safety of the vaccine for wolves and wolf-dog crosses, and that the change would endorse the false idea that wolves and wolf-dog crosses are safe as pets.