COLORADO, USA — Proposition 129 on this year's Colorado ballot would introduce a new position at the vet's office called a veterinary professional associate, or VPA.
If Proposition 129 passes, VPAs would be able to provide veterinary care alongside veterinarians, veterinary technicians and other roles. Currently, there is no VPA position at vet clinics in Colorado.
Apryl Steele, who is president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League and a veterinarian, said this is safe because a vet would oversee the VPA.
“So there's always that backstop," Steele said. "They're working to the same standard of care as a veterinarian does as overseen by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine."
Karen McCormick, a Colorado state representative and veterinarian, said she wouldn't let a VPA take care of her own pets.
“I couldn't possibly let someone like that with that kind of training work on my own animal,” McCormick said. “And for that person to be tethered to the veterinarian the way they would be, I'd rather just see the veterinarian.”
Vets are required to have an advanced doctorate degree and clinical experience. VPAs would be required to have a master's degree.
“Right now, we have an associate's degree, which is a two-year degree, and then we have a doctor of veterinary medicine, which is an eight-plus year degree, and nothing in between,” Steele said. “So we don't have anyone that can diagnose, prescribe, initiate treatment or do surgery, other than a doctor of veterinary medicine.”
“These people will be able to diagnose, initiate treatment plans and do surgery,” McCormick said. “I don't see how they will be able to be competent to do those things.”