I strongly support this petition, and in fact consider it crucial to improving the standard of pet care. As many of my peers have already addressed, this proposed change will allow new veterinary graduates to be better prepared upon entering the workforce, allowing for better care of your pets. As a pet owner and animal advocate myself, I understand the concerns raised. However, I would much rather have a vet for my animals that has experience performing a procedure, especially in a supervised manor, than one who has never performed the procedure before (what is currently the case with many new graduates). That is what this petition will allow: vets in the workforce that are more experienced and better able to serve you and your pets. It is important to note that this petition requires DIRECT SUPERVISION of the vet student by a licenced vet AT ALL TIMES. This means that the vet will be directly helping and guiding the student and able to take over at any moment. Because the same vet you trust will be there, performing the procedure with the student, the quality of care you expect from your personal veterinarian will not change with this petition. As an owner of cats, dogs, and horses, I understand that the proposed changes sound scary at first, but again, the vet you trust is still the one caring for your pets. This petition is a very necessary way for vet students to get additional hands-on experience under direct guidance, but please remember that the supervising vet is a good judge of how competant the student is and what procedures the student is capable of doing. Once a vet enters the work force, they are often unsupervised during procedures. The proposed changes will allow the incoming vets to gain supervised experience with procedures so they are more comfortable performing them on their own in the workforce. This, in fact, decreaes the number of procedural mistakes and thus drastically benefits the animals' health and wellbeing overall.

I know some might consider me biased as I am a vet student, but please know that I entered the veterinary profession to help provide exceptional care to animals and therefore would never want to put an animal in harm's way. If I in any way felt that the standard of care would decrease due to this petition, I would not support it. I personally do not see any downsides to allowing vet students to become more competant in a supervised manor before they enter the workforce and have no guidance.

In closing, please consider this petition from all angles before you decide whether to support or oppose it. From where I stand, our beloved pets are the true beneficiaries if this petition passes.