I kept this petition open through two cycles of the Virginia legislature, based on some hints that my delegate might be willing to introduce legislation requiring owner consent for student practice in conjunction with legalizing the current practice of students providing veterinary services under supervision. Both times he introduced something less than ideal, and both times the proposal failed in committee.
I think that we have reached the end of what we can do with this petition. It led the Board of Veterinary Medicine to change the regulations so that veterinarians must post a sign in the office if they have a student there, which puts Virginia ahead of most states. I remain firmly convinced that the requirement should be that no student, veterinary medicine or veterinary technology, should ever lay hands on a patient without the owner’s knowledge and approval. I am sure that requirement will come some day, but not right now. Thank you for all that you did to move us forward.