There would be a new veterinary position in Colorado if voters approve Proposition 129 on the November ballot.
The measure needs a simple majority to pass.
Here’s what you need to know about Proposition 129, as well as who is supporting and opposing the initiative.
How would Proposition 129 change veterinary care in Colorado?
The initiative would create a new, state-regulated position of veterinary professional associate (VPA) and establish its educational requirements. VPAs would be able to provide veterinary care deemed within the scope of their qualifications — only while under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian — with the State Board of Veterinary Medicine defining more precisely the allowable procedures and required level of supervision.
Currently, licensed veterinarians, as well as registered veterinary technicians and veterinary technician specialists, are the primary providers of veterinary care in Colorado — all of them regulated by the state board, which sets rules surrounding their practice, education requirements and discipline. VPAs would be able to do some things in a clinical setting that vet techs cannot, such as routine spay and neuter surgeries.
Why do we need a new type of veterinary professional?
Proponents point to surveys showing an acute shortage of veterinary care nationally and also in Colorado, especially in rural areas where care for large farm and ranch animals is a concern. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2021 identified 25 rural Colorado counties as service shortage areas. A Colorado State University survey of more than 700 statewide veterinary professionals showed that 71% of responding owners or managers of practices had to divert clients at least once a week because they couldn’t fit them in or address their issues.
Supporters say that with tuition associated with becoming a veterinarian potentially prohibitive, the less costly VPA position could increase access to veterinary care — and potentially reduce consumer costs — by allowing VPAs to help with routine procedures, freeing up veterinarians for more complicated or demanding care.
The president of the American Veterinary Medical Association has pushed back on the idea of a projected veterinarian shortage, blaming COVID for disrupting the usual flow of candidates into the professional pipeline. In Colorado, critics of Proposition 129 have pointed to the recently enacted law that expands the tasks vet techs can perform as a more prudent step toward increasing availability of care.
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What kind of training would VPAs have?
Individuals wishing to qualify at VPAs must be at least 18 years old and hold a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care, or the equivalent as determined by the state board, and be registered by the state. For comparison, vet techs generally complete only an associate’s degree, while vet tech specialists have some additional training.
The veterinary school at Colorado State University, which cannot officially endorse or oppose the ballot measure, is currently working on constructing a master’s program for VPAs who, while currently not allowed to work in veterinary clinics, can work in animal shelters, which often are shorthanded on veterinary care.
Opponents say the initiative would allow individuals with inadequate training to perform surgery, noting that even routine procedures can become complicated. They also claim the measure is misleading and creates the new position so that colleges can benefit financially while candidates take on student debt.
Who are the groups supporting and opposing Proposition 129?
All Pets Deserve Vet Care is the campaign committee supporting the measure. Among its backers are the Dumb Friends League, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, several other animal welfare groups and some corporate owners of veterinary care practices.
Keep Our Pets Safe is the campaign committee opposing Proposition 129. The organizations behind it are a variety of professional associations of veterinary practitioners, from the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association to the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians to the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, as well as others.
Where is the money coming from for both sides of Proposition 129?
All Pets Deserve Vet Care, which raised money to get the initiative on the ballot, reported about $1.2 million in contributions as of Sept. 11, including both cash and in-kind donations. Almost all of that came from the Dumb Friends League (about $1 million) and the ASPCA (about $260,000).
Through the same reporting period, Keep Our Pets Safe, the committee working to defeat the initiative, reported receiving nearly $1 million from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the organization representing the veterinary profession, in cash and in-kind donations, along with a variety of small donors.
Other resources
Nonpartisan legislative staff creates a guide for each initiative on the statewide ballot. You can find their analysis of Proposition 129 here.
You can read the full text of the ballot measure here.