Memorandum - House Bill 4912 (Michigan Pet Alliance, November 9, 2021)

Summary

Memorandum dated November 9, 2021, to Members of the House Committee on Rules and Competitiveness, from Joseph Dobesh, President & CEO of Michigan Pet Alliance, on House Bill 4912. The memo describes Michigan Pet Alliance as a trade association representing animal shelters and rescues from across the state and says the number one concern from its members is the lack of access to veterinary care. It states that telemedicine provides a means of access to services for animals that may not be able to receive care otherwise. It states that Michigan Pet Alliance opposes HB 4912 as currently written.

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Full text

November 9, 2021



MEMORANDUM

TO:             Members of the House Committee on Rules and Competitiveness

FROM:           Joseph Dobesh, President & CEO

SUBJECT:        House Bill 4912



Michigan Pet Alliance is a trade association representing animal shelters and rescues from across the
state. The number one concern we hear from our members is the lack of access to veterinary care. We
regularly receive reports of pets that aren’t able to be spayed before becoming pregnant and routine
care that is difficult to obtain. Many providers are not accepting new patients, and those offices that do
are commonly scheduling appointments over a month out.

None of these issues are the fault of veterinarians. The underlying cause is a critical shortage of
veterinarians in Michigan. Removing any tool to safely improve access to care is a dangerous step that
will inevitably result in fewer Michigan companion animals receiving the care of a veterinarian. Many
lessons were learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effectiveness of telemedicine, which
shouldn’t be forgotten.

Telemedicine provides a means of access to services for those animals who may not be able to receive
care otherwise. Advances in telemedicine technology make it possible to establish a safe and effective
veterinarian-client-patient-relationship in order to provide routine care and triage emergent concerns
when veterinary services are unavailable, due to both rural and urban veterinary shortages.

This is not unproven technology. Today you can consult a doctor online and receive medication for
conditions as varied as depression to erectile dysfunction. We ask that this same opportunity remain
available for Michigan’s companion animals. Telemedicine helps alleviate the burden on veterinarians by
allowing issues that don’t require a physical examination to be addressed more efficiently, leading to
better care statewide.

Michigan Pet Alliance supports reasonable regulations narrowly tailored to address the risks of
telemedicine, but we believe the conditions to establish a veterinarian-client-patient-relationship in HB
4912 go far beyond what is necessary. Michigan Pet Alliance opposes HB 4912 as currently written.




                 Michigan Pet Alliance, 2210 Lancaster Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
                           501(c)3 nonprofit organization, EIN: 20-0399162
                                 (313) 731-2244, info@michiganpet.org


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