California’s veterinarian telehealth bill aims to relieve limited access to vet care
California is addressing limited access to veterinary care by passing Assembly Bill 1399, which empowers licensed veterinarians in the state to establish a veterinarian-client/patient relationship through video technology. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law in October, and it will go into effect on January 1, 2024. At the moment, California restricts veterinarians from effectively using telehealth and can bar them from giving simple advice and direction to pet owners through telemedicine unless the owners bring their animals into the veterinary hospital, according to a press release from the San Francisco SPCA. The bill comes amid a massive shortage of veterinarians across the U.S. that has made it hard for pet owners to get basic care because the number of practicing vets cannot meet the demand of patients in need of care.
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