The Utah Veterinary Medical Association firmly opposes any legislation that would exempt the performance of any diagnostic or therapeutic procedures from the Veterinary Practice Act.
The well being of animals, including domestic pets, wildlife, exotics, horses and livestock, is dependant on medical care being provided only by those with the proper training and skills necessary to correctly diagnose and treat the wide range of medical conditions seen in the animal populations. No single procedure can be performed completely independent of the practice of veterinary medicine as a whole.
It is only through the regulation provided by the Veterinary Practice Act that the public has the protection of knowing that those seeking to perform diagnostic or other procedures on animals have the necessary training and licensing to provide the proper standard of care and to be held liable if that standard of care is not met.
We therefore again state our position that all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed on animals must remain under the jurisdiction of the Veterinary Practice Act.
Utah Veterinary Medical Association January 2010