Lame Duck in Lansing

The Michigan legislature considered a number of bills that would have impacted the practice of veterinary medicine in Michigan. None were enacted. Here are a list of some of the bills around which MVMA advocated.

Animal Welfare

There were several bills related to animal welfare. Many of them focused on criminal penalties for abuse of animals. Some revolved around the designation of a breed as dangerous, cat declawing, and defining appropriate shelter.

Pet Shops

would have limited the type of animals for sale in a pet shop.

Pet Cemeteries

Would have established additional rules and requirements for animal burial.

Pets as People

This included a proposed legal advocate (lawyer or law student) for animals in court cases. There was also a bill that included non-economic damages (an arbitrary dollar amount determined by a judge or jury based on emotional harm) for the injury of a service dog.

Research

Queenie's bill was born out of a tragic case but an example of overreach. Teddy's bill, which passed, now requires that animals used in research must be offered up for adoption before euthanizing them.

VCPR

A telehealth bill that would have allowed for telemedicine without an established VCPR. Currently, the Administrative Rules require an in-person visit to establish a VCPR except in cases of emergency. 

Xylazine

Xylazine would have become a controled substance for human medicine and veterinarians would have been exempt, keeping the use of xylazine accessible and practical for veterinarians in Michigan.