On February 1, the Veterinary Profession Amendment Act came into effect in Alberta.

Christina Holland, Registered Veterinary Technologist at Heartland Veterinary Clinic, explained that the new act regulates and provides clarity around the professional titles of animal health professionals. She explained that in the past, the term "Veterinary Technologist" was sometimes used by someone that did not have the proper qualifications. Under the new act, that is no longer allowed.

"In some clinics, you have a veterinarian, you have someone who is trained off the street which is not legal, and then you have your assistants. This act lays out that you cannot call yourself a veterinary technologist and not have done the work and gone to school."

Holland compared it to human health care professionals: It's like a person calling themselves a nurse without having received the proper training.

Holland said under the new act, pet owners can have greater confidence about who is taking care of their animal.

"If you see on a veterinarian's website, Doctor: so-and-so, Tech: so-and-so, now you know that they have been to school and they know how to properly take care of your pet."

In her own opinion, Holland thinks the new act is good in principle, but said she will need to wait and see how it turns out in practice.

"I think this is a really good tool to use and it is something for the legal system to fall back on, it just depends how it actually ends up being implemented, and that has yet to be seen."

 

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