spcaLA Hosts Low Cost Vaccine Clinic October 28th
Los Angeles, CA — Two pieces of legislation go into effect January 1, 2024 that may bring relief to Californians seeking veterinary services, Assembly Bill 1399 Veterinary Telemedicine and SB 669 Veterinary Client Patient Relationships. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) is in support of both bills.
Due to a national veterinarian shortage and an increase in demand for veterinary care, scheduling vet appointments has been challenging for the majority of pet owners. In some cases, pet parents are forgoing yearly check-ups or pet parents are visiting urgent care animal hospitals that can be double or triple the cost of standard vet practices. Some pet parents have resorted to relinquishing their pets in part due to lack of access to veterinary care.
AB 1399 allows licensed veterinarians “to practice veterinary medicine via telehealth” when appropriate while SB 669 allows Registered Veterinary Technicians to establish the vet-client-patient relationship, as well as administer certain preventative vaccines and medications. Both will potentially increase access to health care for pet parents.
“spcaLA supports initiatives that make veterinary care more accessible for pet owners, especially in the current climate, where we have an increase in the demand for services and a shortage in providers”, said Madeline Bernstein, spcaLA President.
spcaLA aims to help pet parents with preventative care by offering Low Cost Vaccine Clinics. The next clinic is October 28th at Plummer Park (7377 Santa Monica Blvd.) in West Hollywood. The clinic is for dogs and cats, and offers routine vaccinations, de-worming, and flea prevention. “The Low Cost Vaccine Clinic is a great way for pets to receive preventative care, no appointment necessary,” said Bernstein. More info at spcaLA.com/events.