IAAOR Membership
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Many people in the State of Illinois now take advantage of alternative therapies and wellness choices not only for themselves but also for their animals. But due to restrictive and overly broad legal language which was inserted into the Illinois Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004, their option to choose alternative modalities or wellness services for animals was severely compromised.
In the twelfth hour, a group of concerned individuals came together to form the Illinois Alliance for Animal Care Alternatives (now called the Illinois Alliance for Animal Owners Rights.). This group worked closely with their lobbyists to counteract the damaging language inserted into the bill. The result of this effort was the third amendment to the 2004 Veterinary Medicine Act signed into law July 2003 which took effect Jan 1, 2004.
This amendment gives animal owners the right to choose animal health care providers and wellness service providers who offer alternative therapies to veterinary medicine while allowing these practitioners and providers to continue to offer their services legally without fear of overbearing and unrealistic regulation. This provides the best options for the animals involved.
The IAAOR believes that the right to choose animal health care providers, wellness service providers and training practices for animals rests solely with the animal owner. Many of the complementary services animal owners now want for their animals are not available through a veterinarian. While there are holistic veterinarians in the state, most vets do not have extensive training and experience in natural healing and complementary practices. They prefer to stay within their scope of expertise and do not offer these options as part of their practice. The IAAOR advises that all animals receive regular veterinary care and promotes the concept of concurrent care among veterinarians, animal health care and wellness service providers.
Therefore, your membership in the Illinois Alliance for Animal Owners Rights will help:
- retain the legal right for animal owners to choose animal health care and wellness service providers for alternative healing therapies, wellness options and health services for their animals as we humans freely choose these options for ourselves
- encourage and establish concurrent care between veterinarians, animal health care providers, wellness service providers and owners to secure the best available options for the animals involved
- encourage training and high standards among animal health care practitioners and provide educational resources to owners so they may be better able to identify quality individuals and practitioners
- lobby for laws and regulations that ensure animal owners will continue to have access to animal health care and wellness service providers of their choice and that these practitioners may continue to practice and offer their services without fear of being charged with criminal offenses
