American Veterinary Medical Law Association

AVMLA wishes to honor our professionals this Labor Day!

📰Veterinary news from overseas...
Vets extend strike in first industrial action to hit Britain’s pet-care sector

Vets extend strike in first industrial action to hit Britain’s pet-care sector Staff at a practice in Wales have accused its private-equity-backed owner of poor pay and overcharging customers

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) has awarded a $50,000 grant as part of the charitable organization’s continuing support of veterinary relief efforts in Ukraine since the Russian invasion two years ago.

AVMF maintains support for veterinary relief in Ukraine The American Veterinary Medical Foundation recently awarded a $50,000 grant to maintain a mobile veterinary clinic in Ukraine and purchase food for thousands of the country’s animals.

📰Veterinary policy news from the UK:

The rise of the controversial XL Bully dog breed in the UK has resulted in heated discussions and policy changes.

XL Bully Dogs Face New Euthanasia Policy Amid Growing Concerns The controversial rise of XL Bully dogs has sparked heated discussions and serious policy changes across the UK. Experts and local authorities are now grappling…

A veterinarian, Col. Stephanie Bragg was recently named the next commander of Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC) at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

WAMC is one of the flagship hospitals of U.S. Army Medicine and the Defense Health Agency, providing health care to about 200,000 individuals, from active-duty service men and women to retirees to their families.

Veterinarian chosen to lead military hospital Col. Stephanie Mont was recently named the next commander of Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC) at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

The FDA has confirmed the safety of Purina pet foods after investigating adverse event reports, tested products, and conducted facility inspections of Purina pet foods after allegations appeared on social media.

FDA confirms safety of Purina pet foods The Food and Drug Administration announced July 31 that no public health concerns are associated with Nestlé Purina Pet Care pet food after completing a review of the products that generated a jump in adverse event reports last year.

Veterinary Medicine in the news 📰....
New York pet owners may soon see a change in their pet insurance policies. Legislators recently passed a law that establishes industry standards in the state and gives New York's Department of Financial Services oversight of the industry.

New York Moves to Regulate Pet Insurance Industry in the State | Insurify New York pet owners may soon see a change in their pet insurance policies. Legislators recently passed a law that establishes industry standards in the state and gives New York's Department of Financial Services oversight of the industry. The law requires pet insurers operating in New York to follow...

New legislation in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska limits the use of PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) therapy to licensed veterinarians.

Legislation Update: PEMF Use Restricted to Veterinarians in 3 States New regulations on the popular PEMF therapy have affected practitioners and horse owners in several states.

Does HIPAA apply to veterinarians?

Does HIPAA Apply to Veterinarians? HIPAA does not apply to veterinarians because veterinarians do not conduct transactions that would qualify them as HIPAA covered entities.

The largest ever fine in an animal welfare case was assessed to a company that bred Beagles for research and plead guilty last month to violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by neglecting thousands of dogs at its Cumberland, Virginia, breeding facility.

Envigo pleads guilty to neglecting dogs, faces $35M fine A company that bred Beagles for research will pay more than $35 million after pleading guilty last month to violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by neglecting thousands of dogs at its Cumberland, Virginia, breeding facility. The payment includes the largest ever fine in an animal welfare c...

The CDC has announced a substantial revision its new rule on dog importation to the U.S. as it relates to dogs from rabies-free and low risk dog rabies countries. The new importation requirements will take effect August 1 and are meant to prevent a reintroduction of canine rabies into the country.

CDC announces changes to US canine import requirements In a change of course, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says for dogs that have only been in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the past six months before U.S. entry, the CDC Dog Import Form is the only form that is needed, starting August 1.

Rejecting arguments by a Missouri pork processor, U.S. District Judge William Young upheld the legality of a voter-approved Massachusetts state law that requires farmers to give breeding sows room to move around and bars the sale of pork cuts produced outside the state on farms that do not meet the Massachusetts standard.

Massachusetts animal welfare law is legal, says federal judge Rejecting arguments by a Missouri pork processor, U.S. District Judge William Young upheld the legality of a voter-approved Massachusetts state law that requires farmers to give breeding sows room to move around and bars the sale of pork cuts produced outside the state on farms that do not meet the....

📰News to know...
Read about a new report from the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School and the Center for Environmental and Animal Protection at New York University that warns of high-risk human-animal interactions at animal markets worldwide and documents the threats posed to global health security by these markets and the industries that supply them, including the wildlife trade, livestock production, and wildlife farming.

Zoonotic Disease Threats Posed By Animal Industries Uncovered in Comprehensive New Report - Harvard Law School - ALPP Animal markets and other forms of animal industries pose serious risk of future pandemics and current regulation does not sufficiently protect public health against these threats, concludes a new 15 country study by Harvard Law School and New York University. The report documents the scope of these....

Mark Your Calendars! The AVMLA Monthly Member Meeting is back, and it’s happening on the 4th Tuesday of the month—that’s July 23, 2024! Time: 8:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Dive into AVMLA’s exciting plans for the upcoming year.
Get the scoop on the 24-25 AVMLA initiatives.
And we'll invite attendees to brainstorm on potential programming topics.
Guests include: Kenyon Conklin, VMD: AVMLA President 2024-25
Debra Hamilton, JD: Our savvy Past President and facilitator extraordinaire.
Guests Welcome! Whether you’re a seasoned AVMLA member or just curious about what we do, join us.

Veterinary medical law association | Avmla | United States The American Veterinary Medical Law Association (AVMLA) is a national association of attorneys, veterinarians, and other individuals and organizations with an interest in veterinary medical law and how it pertains to the veterinary profession and allied fields.

A 2023 report indicates most North American veterinarians and veterinary technicians support utilization of credentialed veterinary technicians rather than create jobs for mid level practitioners.

AAVSB, VMG surveys find lack of support for midlevel practitioner Two veterinary organizations say they have not found overwhelming support for the creation of a midlevel practitioner position among their members right now and, instead, will focus on better utilization and an expanded role for veterinary technicians.

The FDA has issued clarification on the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD).

FDA Issues Veterinary Feed Directive Clarification The agency has issued an update that has to do with Guidance For Industry document #120.

The 2024 Veterinary Innovation Summit (VIS), presented by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC) is scheduled for August 21-23 in Kansas City, MO. The summit will focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications within veterinary medicine, the evolution of AI, its impact on the advancement of animal health care and how to prepare for adaptation and responsible use of AI.

GLOBAL LEADERS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE AND BRILLIANT MINDS BEHIND TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS GATHER AT ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR FOR 8TH ANNUAL VETERINARY INNOVATION SUMMIT /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 Veterinary Innovation Summit (VIS), presented by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Veterinary Innovation Council...

A complaint was submitted urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate an animal facility and seeks action by the FWS to enforce the Endangered Species Act to prevent further deaths of gray wolves at the facility in Washington.

Complaint Demands Endangered Species Act be Enforced Against Washington Sham Animal Sanctuary to Protect Animals Predators of the Heart, sometimes also known as Because We Matter Exotic Animal Rescue, has threatened to kill endangered wolves if it is not allowed to reopen.

📰Veterinary legislation in the news for our neighbors to the north.... New legislation in Canada will govern Ontario Veterinarians.

New Legislation to Govern Veterinary Professionals in Ontario — Rosen Sunshine LLP On June 6, 2024, the Veterinary Professions Act, 2024 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent in the Ontario legislature. The College of Veterinarians of Ontario will be drafting new regulations and by-laws, and will transition into the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario (the “CVPO”) i...

Study shows that the "humanization" of pets results in owners paying for costly, complex treatment rather than euthanizing.

Seeing pets as 'fur babies' means owners don't put them down when sick The 'humanisation' of pets has seen owners paying for costly, complex treatment rather than having animals put down, a report reveals.

🌏Veterinary Legislation overseas

A Culling Plan Unifies Turkey’s Dog Lovers The government's bid to round up wayward canines has been fiercely denounced

FDA is hosting annual educational conferences on Animal Drug User Fee.
The inaugural event on July 17 will cater to stakeholders interested in learning about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s new animal drug approval process.

FDA to host annual educational conferences on Animal Drug User Fee - Veterinary Practice News The inaugural event on July 17 will cater to stakeholders interested in learning about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s new animal drug approval process.

News to know...new CPR guidelines for cats and dogs emphasize speed and standard techniques.

Revised CPR guidelines in dogs, cats emphasize speed, standard techniques On June 26, the Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) Initiative unveiled the first major revisions to its global veterinary CPR guidelines since 2012, setting new life-saving standards based on scientific advancements and extensive community feedback.

AVMLA reminds you to be respectful of pets who can be negatively impacted by the noise of fireworks this holiday week. Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Keep the fun in your 4th of July celebrations by following these tips for pets from AVMA.

July 4 safety Fireworks, picnics and other 4th of July traditions can be great fun for people, but frightening and dangerous for animals. Know how to keep your animals safe.

We can't let International Joke Day go by without sharing one!

Effective July 1, 2026 Veterinary Technicians will be included in Minnesota's Veterinary Practice Act per legislation passed in May. The new incorporation of licensed veterinary technicians (LVTs) into this statute establishes a legal definition for veterinary technicians, which grants recognition for trained and qualified veterinary team members, the Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians.

Read about it at https://www.dvm360.com/view/new-legislation-grants-minnesota-veterinary-technicians-the-opportunity-to-be-licensed

A Pennsylvania owner-trainer has sued Penn National Gaming and several employees of Penn National Race Course for alleged negligence over a starting gate incident that she said led to a horse suffering a severe injury and subsequent euthanasia.

Penn National Sued Over Alleged 'Tail Tying' Incident At Starting Gate Owner-trainer Erin Carpio claims her horse, Sir Steele, suffered what was ultimately a fatal injury due to negligence by track employees

That's a wrap! Thank you to all of our attendees, speakers, sponsors and the A-Team for all of your contributions to AVMLA's 30th Continuing Education Program and Annual Members Meeting! We would like to thank Debra Hamilton, Esq. for her tireless dedication as the 2023/24 President and we welcome Dr. Kenyon Conklin as the new 2024/25 President as well as, Dr. Rob Simpson as the President-Elect! Watch for a final wrap up later in the week with highlights from this year's Annual Conference held in conjunction with AVMA in Austin, TX! Thanks for the Texas Style Hospitality!