Hello everyone! Great news: the VPA bill will not be passed into law this legislative season! Since my last update, the amount of signatures on this petition has doubled! Through these efforts, as well as those from the FVMA and everyone who wrote emails of opposition to the senators, we have expressed that this position is widely unwanted in the state of Florida and beyond. But the fight is not over! The reason this bill is not being implemented this year is not because a majority voted against it but because it was not discussed by the Florida senate. Essentially, SB 796 failed, along with many other Florida bills this season, because they ran out of time. This means that a similar bill could still be proposed and passed next year if we turn a blind eye. For the time being, I am going to keep this petition open to encourage continuation of conversations about the veterinary field and why many veterinarians and pet owners oppose the creation of VPAs. It is my hope that this petition will continue gaining signatures and increase awareness of this issue. Please continue to share this petition and educate others on the issue at hand. Instead of establishing a new veterinary position with limited safety guidelines, here are a few potential alternatives we should be pushing for: title protection for veterinary technicians, more loan repayment programs especially for rural areas, decreasing private equity and consolidation in vet med, and reducing costs of veterinary school or expanding scholarship programs. Thank you for your continued support!