Improved Care for Sick & Injured Animals Bill Moves Forward

Assembly Committee Unanimously Approves Aanestad Legislation

The Assembly Business & Professions Committee unanimously approved legislation today authored by Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley), which is designed to improve care for sick and injured animals in need of veterinary care. SB 969 seeks to remove the bureaucratic barriers and contradictory regulations concerning Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and Unregistered Assistants (UAs) that threaten to prevent timely treatment for animals under veterinary care.

“This legislation will improve access to veterinary care in California by allowing sick or injured animals to receive proper treatment from trained individuals,” said Senator Aanestad. “This change, in turn, will give licensed veterinarians more time to focus on additional patients.”

There are conflicting legal opinions regarding the laws on this issue. For years, RVTs and UAs working in veterinary practices in California and other states have been allowed to administer drugs under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian. However, a recent interpretation of the law by the California Veterinary Medical Board’s legal counsel has opined that this practice is not authorized.

“This new interpretation has created a problem for veterinarians who do not have RVTs on staff,” said Senator Aanestad. “There is a shortage of RVT’s in California and veterinarians who employ unregistered assistants face a real problem.”

SB 969 attempts to alleviate this problem by allowing Registered Veterinary Technicians OR Unregistered Assistants to administer controlled substances under the indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The change in law would not only help veterinarians in private practice, but also city and county animal shelters, which often do not have a veterinarian present on site.

“ Veterinarians cannot physically be on the premises at all times and must be able to delegate the administration of drugs to qualified, trained personnel under indirect supervision,” said Senator Aanestad. “Many epileptic animals, for example, require twice daily administration of an anti-seizure oral medication. My legislation will allow trained staff to administer these pills over the weekend, or at a time when veterinarians are not present.”

SB 969 has the full support of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and numerous veterinarians who operate private practices in California.

Article Source: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/news/4/pressrelease4696.asp

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