When might veterinarians expect to be offered the opportunity to be vaccinated? Access to COVID‐19 vaccines is determined at the state, territorial, and local levels, so the answer varies by location...
The laws and regulations of 22 of the 29 licensing boards and commissions overseen by the Department of State's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) impose continuing education (CE) requirements of varying scope and magnitude on the various occupations/professions that BPOA regulates. Broadly stated, CE is delivered in one of two ways: (1) traditional, in-person instruction; and (2) online education or "distance learning." The laws and regulations of some of these boards impose restrictions or place limitations on the number or percentage of online/distance hours that may be applied towards...
Congress has passed a fourth COVID-19 relief bill and a comprehensive spending package to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2021. These packages include many of AVMA’s top advocacy priorities, including fixing the unfavorable IRS tax treatment of expenses paid with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, streamlined PPP loan forgiveness for loans of up to $150,000, up to $20 million for animal health infrastructure’s role in the COVID-19 response, AVMA-led One Health report language, and funding for key federal programs important to veterinary medicine...
Quarantine Orders Issued: Prohibition of Rendering of Domestic Animals Euthanized with Pentobarbital Effective November 21, 2020 Two quarantine orders have been issued from the PA Department of Agriculture that will take effect tomorrow. This notice was vetted with the North American Renders Association and veterinary professional organizations and is deemed critical to protect safety of animals consuming render products, and domestic animals and wildlife that may scavenge euthanized carcasses that are not disposed of properly. These quarantine orders establish a shared responsibility of all of those euthanizing and handling carcasses of animals...
The Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Health recently confirmed that a 16-year-old cat in Cumberland County tested positive for COVID-19. The companion animal lived in a household with multiple individuals who had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was in close contact with these individuals. Unfortunately, the cat was humanely euthanized due to its respiratory distress. Its primary cause of death is still under investigation. This is one of eight confirmed COVID-19 positive cats in the United States and, to this point, none appear to have died of COVID-19. The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical...
On October 20, 2020, the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee discussed the PA Dog Law and animal welfare issues during a Capitol hearing. In summary, PVMA absolutely opposes overbreeding, inhumane breeding of dogs, as well as breeders that are acting illegally. PVMA opposes SB 44 (Victoria’s Law) and supports SB 1267. Dr. Mary Jane McNamee, PVMA's Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee Chair, explained that rather than add another law on the books that does little to nothing to stop puppy mills and increases enforcement for the Dog Law Bureau, which is...
Today, the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Health confirmed that a 16-year old cat in Cumberland County tested positive for COVID-19. The companion animal lived in a household with multiple individuals who had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was in close contact with these individuals. Unfortunately, the cat was humanely euthanized due to its respiratory distress. Its primary cause of death is still under investigation. This is one of eight confirmed COVID-19 positive cats in the United States and, to this point, none appear to have died of COVID-19. The...
PVMA needs your help! Veterinary practices were deemed essential from the start of the pandemic, but were excluded from receiving Hazard Pay. Veterinarian professionals play critical roles in food production, public safety, and ensuring optimal health for animals to sustain our economy. There is power in numbers, so let's work together to change this by doing the following: Calling the Governor’s office at 717.787.2500Calling the PA Department of Community and Economic Development at 866.466.3972Emailing the Governor’s officeEmailing the PA Department of HealthSigning the petition on Change.org ...
Stimulus loans provided through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) have played a key role in supporting veterinary care and keeping veterinary practices open during the COVID-19 pandemic, data released this week by the federal government show...
An employee’s mental health includes how they think, feel and act, and includes their emotional and social well-being. It can change over time depending on factors such as their workload, stress and work-life balance. DID YOU KNOW that 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness annually? A recent study by Deloitte revealed that less than half receive treatment. A study from the Mental Health in the Workplace Summit also found that mental illness is the leading cause of disability for U.S. adults aged 15 to 44 and that more...
