The veterinary non-compete has no place in an industry built on the compassion of those who care for animals.  The problems caused by the shortage of veterinarians in the United States, combined with increased pet ownership, are exacerbated by non-competes which prevent veterinarians from working where they want to and from seeing any patient that needs them.

The non-compete is nothing more than a mechanism for employers to establish control over the veterinarians working for them.  It prevents veterinarians from working additional shifts at other local hospitals that may need the help, especially new grad veterinarians who can use the extra income to pay down student debt.  It forces veterinarians to make major life decisions when they realize the work environment is not what it appeared to be during their interview.  Because of the non-compete, veterinarians in toxic work environments may find themselves having to move out of their home towns, deal with extended commutes or even worse yet, simply suffer in silence which adds stress to an already stressful job.

Employers fear that by not having a non-compete, their veterinarians may end up leaving because another practice treats them better.  That's not a legitimate reason to restrict these professionals from doing what they love.  Once enough veterinarians decide to STOP signing non-compete agreements, the industry will respond and the treatment of veterinarians will drastically improve.