This fall, Coloradans are tasked with choosing yes or no on a ballot measure that would create a new career track for veterinary professionals. The proposition sparked heated debate among politicians, veterinarians and animal advocates.
Proponents argue that the law would alleviate the scarcity of veterinary care in rural areas and bring down costs for pet owners. Opponents argue that professionals licensed under the law would be poorly prepared for their jobs, putting animals at risk. Some have also raised concerns that the law would further devalue veterinary care 鈥� a field that is already underpaid when compared to medical professions.
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If passed, Proposition 129 would create licensure guidelines for 鈥渧eterinary professional associates鈥� or VPAs. The position would require a master鈥檚 degree in veterinary clinical care, including hands-on experience in a clinic. VPAs would be empowered to perform duties beyond the scope of a veterinary technician, but always with direct supervision from a veterinarian.
Proponents have compared the position to a physician鈥檚 assistant, but detractors argue that VPAs would have far less training and far more responsibility.
Safety concerns
Boulder Rep. Karen McCormick, who is herself a veterinarian, was initially involved in developing the measure, but later came out against it. She said that , would be grossly inadequate to prepare VPAs for the clinic.
鈥�60 to 70 percent of this training is online and this person would be sandwiched between two credentialed professions that are licensed and had to pass a national exam,鈥� McCormick told KUNC. 鈥淵ou want this person doing surgery on your animal?鈥�
Advocates say that CSU鈥檚 program is far more robust than critics are making it out to be 鈥� more than enough for someone to perform routine diagnostics and procedures like lancing an abscess or removing a skin tag.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a robust master鈥檚 degree at the No. 2 veterinary school in the country and there are almost 400 hours of in person labs,鈥� CEO Apryl Steele said.
Jon Geller, a retired veterinarian and nonprofit founder from Fort Collins, has not officially taken a stance on the measure. But he expressed faith in the State Board of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 ability to vet the licensure process before the law goes into effect in 2027.
He also stressed that a VPAs' training and practice would be focused exclusively on small pets, while around a quarter of a veterinarian鈥檚 training is focused on large animals and livestock.
By his calculations, this would leave new VPAs with only one year less experience on small animals than a new veterinarian.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fairly substantial, but not equivalent, amount of training,鈥� .
Who will it help?
American Veterinary Medical Association president Lori Teller . She called the measure a 鈥渒nee-jerk reaction鈥� to COVID-induced veterinary care shortages, .
Teller argued that expanding class sizes at veterinary schools would soon start to fill these gaps, rendering a new position unnecessary. She also said that efforts should be aimed at improving working conditions for current veterinarians and their employees, not filling in the gaps.
鈥淩etention is a serious issue for both veterinarian employees and employers,鈥� she wrote in a press release.
Steele, on the other hand, argued that the cost of veterinary school, , presents a major barrier to the profession.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to create a more attainable degree for diverse populations,鈥� Steele said. 鈥淎nd, also a career path for veterinary technicians.鈥�
Earlier this year, , an advocacy group formed in opposition to the measure, criticized its adversary, , for receiving donations from veterinary conglomerates like .
鈥淚t is being pushed by special interests and corporations who stand to make millions,鈥� the organization wrote on its website.
Yet, All Pets Deserve Care .
Arguments from both groups tend to boil down to differing opinions on who will benefit or be harmed by the measure. One side is focused on the potential merits for rural pet owners, over-stressed clinics and aspiring veterinary students. The other sees only risks for the same groups.
Next month, Colorado voters will decide which side made the most compelling points.
Nikole Robinson Carroll, Brad Turner and Lucas Brady Woods contributed to this report.
