I urge this board to consider the comments of the citizens and taxpayers who have all requested that informed consent be required before a veterinary student of any kind provides hands on care for our companion animals.

This is the most ethical way to handle this situation.  Ethics dictate that the care provider fully informs patients or in the case of animals their human owners of the risks and benefits of any proposed treatment.  For an owner to make an informed decision, the owner has to be aware of all of the risks and benefits.  Having anyone without a veterinary license increases the risk to the animal.  The only person who can make the determination of whether or not it is an acceptable risk is the owner after being fully informed.

One has to question the motives of the board in not following the wishes of the citizens and pet owners in Virginia.   Who benefits?  It is not the pet who benefits by having an unlicensed and inexperienced student practice on them.  It is not the pet owner who benefits by not knowing this is occurring and being given the right to refuse.  It is not really the students who benefit that is what school is for.  They can certainly work as techs in a veterinary clinic.  I believe that the sole beneficiary in this matter is vets who can have somewhat better trained workers who are being paid less or are doing the work for free as a part of an internship. 

Even having a fully licensed vet caring for one’s pet does not guarantee that the vet is competent.  Poor Molly Mittens and innocent little kitten died at the hands of what I believe was an incompetent vet.  Anyone interested in seeing her record and what passes for an acceptable standard of care in Virginia can contact me at MollyMittens7@gmail.com.  I will be happy to share her records and you can decide if this is an acceptable standard of care for vets in Virginia or if this is acceptable to you as a pet owner.

Once again, please at a minimum require written informed consent for anything beyond pure observation by a vet student.

Respectfully submitted

Molly Mittens Mom

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