This petition is intended to help protect the pet owner and consumer from inaccurate information and educate regarding proposed regulations for providing animal physical rehabilitation in California

The proposed legislative language by the California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB) is intended to protect the consumer and the pet from illegal activity. The CVMB is proposing only a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) or a state licensed Physical Therapist (PT) be allowed perform animal physical rehabilitation under the direct supervision of a veterinarian who is managing the medical needs of the patient. This means the veterinarian would need to be physically in the building and is responsible for the pet's well-being when treatment is performed.

The Physical Therapy Board (PTB) opposes this because they feel indirect access to your pet is more appropriate to deliver care. Indirect access means a veterinarian is not required to physically be present.

Concern lie not with the Physical Therapist and their specialized skills, but with assessment of concurrent medical conditions (ex. bladder infections, thyroid disease) or signs of pain.

Without a veterinarian directly supervising physical rehabilitation:

- Urgent care would not be available if a medical emergency arises

- Appropriate and immediate adjustments to pain medications could not be made

- Medical questions would not be answered at the time of an appointment

- Additional testing (including radiographs or diagnosis of a new medical condition) cannot occur

- Treatment plan development and decisions could not be discussed before being implemented

The CVMB and colleagues working in the field of veterinary physical rehabilitation highly respect the advanced and specialized training the Physical Therapist brings to the team effort and do NOT wish to eliminate them from patient care. Veterinarians, Physical Therapists, and Credentialed Veterinary Technicians attend post-graduate education programs side-by-side, each bringing a unique skill set should be working together closely.

The veterinary community needs your support in protecting your pets and the integrity of veterinary medicine and its specialties. Please sign the following petition with a YES to voice your desire to have a veterinarian on the premises during animal physical rehabilitative treatment by a rehabilitation-trained veterinarian, RVT or PT.

Thank You for your valuable time.