The health and welfare of Colorado’s animals and pets are non-negotiable priorities for our state’s veterinarians. Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is an association of Colorado veterinarians dedicated to preventing and relieving animal illness and suffering. CVMA is vigorously opposed to proposed ballot initiatives that compromise and threaten the health and safety of animals and pets. Initiative 144, Veterinary Telehealth, and Initiative 145, Veterinary Professional Associate, both present unacceptable risks to the quality of veterinary care our animals and pets receive. CVMA unequivocally opposes both initiatives. They put Colorado’s animals and pets in danger.

Initiative 144 states it would permit veterinarians to use “an electronic examination using an audio-video based communication medium” to make the critical first-time diagnosis — instead of a thorough, hands-on, physical examination. Initiative 144 also allows the virtual prescribing of medications, which can violate federal regulations that safeguard animals and pets. This initiative is irresponsible and reckless: it risks increased misdiagnosis and unnecessary suffering for animals and their owners.

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Initiative 144 is riddled with hidden dangers that threaten the most essential aspects of veterinary care — an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. This initiative is not about using telemedicine for the benefit and convenience of pets, their owners and veterinarians in our state as the proponents would mislead Colorado voters to believe. It is a ploy by profit-driven corporations to push telehealth appointments on unsuspecting pet owners to boost corporate revenues from online drug sales without regard for animal health. By eliminating the critical three-part, in-person relationship among veterinarian, owner and pet, these corporations would prioritize financial gain over animal health, while at the same time risking misdiagnosis, compromised care and prolonged animal suffering. The proposed change to Colorado law benefits corporations, incentivizing them to push tele-health appointments without regard for the compromised animal and pet care that would result.

Alarmingly, Initiative 144 would encourage inadequate, substandard prescribing as more than 90% of drugs used in veterinary medicine would be off limits due to the Food and Drug Administration requirement for veterinarians to conduct an initial hands-on examination to prescribe the majority of medications. The increased risk of misdiagnosis without an initial in-person consultation and lack of prescription treatment options is an unacceptable gamble with the health of our pets and other animals.

CVMA fully endorses Colorado’s protection of animal and public health through rigorous licensing and registration requirements for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Both professions must graduate from accredited education programs and must pass national competency examinations to be licensed or registered in Colorado.

In stark contrast, Initiative 145 would create an entirely new professional avenue that would be educated through a currently non-existent, mostly online program with minimal in-clinic experience or training. The qualifications established by 145 are inadequate for the level of care the initiative authorizes. Despite the ill-defined, inadequate education and training of this individual, Initiative 145 would permit VPAs to practice veterinary medicine on Colorado animals and pets, including performing surgery after only a brief internship.

Initiative 145 presents dangerous risks by permitting VPAs to practice the full scope of veterinary medicine — including performing surgery — with inadequate, mostly online training. Surgical procedures, even “routine surgeries,” are highly complex and require extensive veterinary training and expertise. Allowing inadequately prepared individuals to perform such procedures fundamentally undermines veterinary care and places animal lives in jeopardy.

Moreover, the VPA role as described by Initiative 145, is not comparable to providers in human medicine, such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants. This misleading comparison attempts to fool Colorado voters by implying VPAs would be adequately qualified, and it would lure future students into a non-existent career path without job security, while burdening them with debt.

In conclusion, Initiatives 144 and 145 pose dangerous threats to the quality of veterinary care Coloradans rely on and they endanger Colorado pets and animals. Do not be misled. These initiatives are designed to serve corporate interests at the expense of pet health and safety. Colorado veterinarians dedicate their professional careers to keeping Colorado’s animals and pets healthy and advancing the quality of Colorado veterinary care. CVMA strongly opposes Initiatives 144 and 145. Colorado animals and pets cannot speak for themselves. Colorado animals and pets cannot vote. As guardians of animal and pet welfare, we reject these measures in order to preserve the integrity and quality of veterinary medicine. The health and safety of Colorado animals and pets depends on it.

Dr. Kelly Walsh is the president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association and holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University.