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Eight areas in Colorado have been identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as areas of veterinary service shortage areas for 2021. To address these shortages, the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) provides veterinarians up to $25,000 a year for student loan repayment in exchange for at least three years of service in one of the USDA-designated shortage areas. The program is overseen by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The shortage areas identified in Colorado include: Baca, Bent, Kiowa, and Prowers counties Delta, Montrose, Ouray, and...

Originally published: March 4, 2021 | Last updated: March 26, 2021 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CVMA testified in support of a bipartisan bill designed to establish standards of care that each animal shelter and animal rescue is required to provide each dog and cat in its custody. CVMA member Dr. Michelle Larsen provided testimony in support of the bill during the House Agriculture, Livestock, and Water hearing on Monday, March 22. The bill passed out of committee on a 10-1 vote. The bill, HB 1160, Care of Dogs and Cats in Pet Animal Facilities, has been...

By now, many Colorado veterinarians may have heard about the controversy regarding a new appointee to the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine. In July, Governor Polis appointed Ms. Ellen Kessler, a self-described animal rights activist with an active social media presence, to the open public-at-large position on the board. Some CVMA members have expressed concern that Ms. Kessler will cause the state board to direct the veterinary profession in ways that are contrary to the needs of Colorado’s livestock industry. While CVMA respects the effort made to appoint diverse points of...

Originally published: February 26, 2021 | Last updated: March 19, 2021 CVMA has submitted comments to the Colorado Department of Agriculture in support of a proposed dairy tuberculosis accreditation rule change. The rulemaking changes would remove the requirement that Colorado dairies be accredited tuberculosis-free and to allow for voluntary accreditation. CVMA’s support for the change is based on the following: The Colorado Dairy TB Accreditation testing program is a disease surveillance tool that has been used to timely diagnose and locate TB in Colorado. Colorado has had a TB free accreditation for decades. ...

Tracking Veterinary Rules is one of the key advocacy activities CVMA performs on behalf of members and the profession in Colorado. In keeping with this mission, CVMA testified in support of changes to the Veterinary Rules and Regulations at the State Board of Veterinary Medicine permanent rulemaking hearing on February 11, 2021. The hearing was held to gather input on changes made to the veterinary rules following a review by the Office of Legislative Legal Services, and was the last step in a year-long process of a mandatory review of the...

The following was distributed to Colorado veterinarians by the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office on February 25, 2021. Click here to sign up to receive immediate updates from the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office. Colleagues, In March of 1995, after working in private veterinary practice for 14 years, I began the second part of my career journey with the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). I have had the best veterinary working opportunities anyone could have. I have worked at a veterinary practice on St Martin, an island in the Caribbean, in practices in beautiful Monte Vista,...

Updated April 22, 2021 A new Colorado law will add transparency around the pricing and background of animals sold in pet stores that sell dogs or cats. HB21-1102, Consumer Protection for Dog and Cat Purchasers, is headed to Governor Polis' desk to be signed into law. The bill creates the "Pet Store Consumer Protection Act," which requires pet stores that sell dogs and cats to transparently share specific information about dogs and cats that are for sale. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 16. When the bill was...

The following was distributed to Colorado veterinarians by the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office on February 2, 2021. Click here to sign up to receive immediate updates from the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office. The Colorado Departments of Agriculture and Public Health and Environment have confirmed that a mule residing in Eagle County has tested positive for bat variant rabies. This is the first case of rabies in domestic livestock in Colorado this year and the first case of rabies in an equine in Colorado since 2013. The spillover of bat variant rabies into domestic animals...

During a member town hall on January 25, CVMA shared a preview of key legislative issues to watch in Colorado during the Colorado General Session. (Did you miss the town hall? The recording is available to watch here!) CVMA also hosted an informational presentation during the event from the Dumb Friends League about Socially Conscious Animal Communities, an important bill that will be introduced in the legislature in February. The bill would amend the PACFA Act and would set minimum standards for the treatment of dogs and cats in shelters and rescues. The...

The Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine has announced a permanent rulemaking hearing on February 11, 2021. Tracking Veterinary Rules is one of the key advocacy activities CVMA performs on behalf of members and the profession in Colorado. What’s it about? This final rulemaking is the last step in a year-long process of a mandatory review of the Colorado Veterinary Rules that began in February 2020. The rules have been thoroughly reviewed and reorganized. CVMA represented the interests and concerns of Colorado veterinarians at each step in the process, and worked to...

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