The Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters represents 300 shelter personnel and animal control officers across the Commonwealth. While we appreciate the patron's interest in the matter of veterinarians of record for shelters, this bill will not assist shelters in alleviating that deficit. Every shelter must already have a vet of record listed ,so putting a checkbox on a license application does not expand the pool. Those familiar with shelters know that the problem is that many shelters do not have the financial resources to pay a veterinarian for more than a name which permits the shelter to perform euthanasia. If the outside organization which suggested the bill wants to help shelters, then providing funding to under resourced shelters so actually services can be provided to animals is the genuine answer. Sharon Quilllen Adams, VAAS
The Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters represents 300 shelter personnel and animal control officers across the Commonwealth. While we appreciate the patron's interest in the matter of veterinarians of record for shelters, this bill will not assist shelters in alleviating that deficit. Every shelter must already have a vet of record listed ,so putting a checkbox on a license application does not expand the pool. Those familiar with shelters know that the problem is that many shelters do not have the financial resources to pay a veterinarian for more than a name which permits the shelter to perform euthanasia. If the outside organization which suggested the bill wants to help shelters, then providing funding to under resourced shelters so actually services can be provided to animals is the genuine answer. Sharon Quilllen Adams, VAAS