Veterinarians practicing in Colorado today oppose introducing VPAs to the state. They know that adding mid-level positions does not result in better clinical outcomes for animals.
When it comes to your pet’s safety and well-being, even routine procedures can become complicated. If passed, someone with inadequate training would be allowed to perform surgery on your pet. A veterinary professional associate is not a mid-level provider like a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant to a doctor. It’s the equivalent of completing a mostly online program with minimal training, and this measure would allow Veterinary Professional Associates to perform surgery after only a one-semester internship.
Special interest groups designed this ballot measure to fool voters into creating a new position for a job that does not exist so colleges can make more money from unsuspecting students who will face limited job security due to varying state regulations. It is being pushed by a small group of special interests and corporations who stand to make millions by dangerously changing pet healthcare at the ballot box. Your pet deserves to be seen by a veterinarian—not an undertrained veterinary professional associate who received their training through mostly online coursework.
There is a reason we trust our vets. Say no to Veterinary Professional Associates.