Dedicated to Promoting Optimum Animal Welfare and Supporting Responsible Choice
Who are we? AAAOR is a non-profit registered society, managed by volunteers.
What do we do? We encouraging collaboration and professionalism in the Alberta Animal Health Care Industry. Our mission is to be proactive in aligning Alberta as a leader in North America by providing an environment where all certified animal health providers are respected and enhanced. Unfortunately, in many places in the US and Canada veterinarian acts have been changed with little to no input from the public. This has given veterinarians a monopoly over animal health care and has increased animal health care costs for animal owners.
We feel animal owners should keep the right to make final decisions regarding their animals. Animal owners have the right to independently choose care options from certified complementary therapists, like massage therapists, just like we do for our children.
Why? AAAOR was created to help inform Alberta animal owners about proposed changes to the Veterinary Profession Act and to provide animal owners with information to empower them to make well-informed decisions regarding the health of their animals.
When? AAAOR was created in 2006, the first animal owner’s rights association in Canada. British Columbia now also has an animal owners rights group, created in October 2015.
How? We keep animal owners informed on what is happening through our website, social media and emails to members. We recognize that animal owners need to be organized, empowered and informed to have a strong voice.
If affordable animal health care is important to you, as well as a diverse and professional animal health care industry, stay abreast of how the government is handling these issues by joining AAAOR’s free membership to get important updates.
An example of what it would look like to modernize the VPA exemptions to protect animal owners’ rights
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What it would look like when future VPA changes widen the exclusive scope of practice for veterinarians with no modernization of VPA exemptions
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- Animal owners would have the right to enter into a private contract with a non-veterinarian animal health provider offering complementary animal wellness services.
- Complementary wellness services obtained could include, but not inclusive: Acupressure, Acupuncture, Animal Communication, Animal Nutritionist, Applied Kinesiology, Aromatherapy, Bioptron, Bowen Therapy, Chakra Healing, Chiropractic, Chromatherapy, Cold Therapy, Cranio-sacral Therapy, Crystal Therapy, Electro-Acuscope Myopulse Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Equine Dentist, Equine Touch, Flower Essence Therapy, Hair Analysis, Hands on Healing, Heat Therapy, Herbs, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Infrared Light Therapy, Infrared Thermography, Iridology, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Live Blood Cell Analysis, Massage Therapy, Magnet Therapy, Myo-Fascia Release, Osteopathy, Photopuncture, Physiotherapy, Radionics, Reiki, Shiatsu, Small Animal Anesthesia-Free Teeth Cleaning, Trigger Point Therapy, TTouch, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Quantum Biofeedback.
- Non-veterinarian animal health providers would require a governing body with modality specific standards, guidelines, continuing education requirements, as well as a place for animal owners to express concerns and resolve complaints.
- Non-veterinarian animal health providers cannot represent themselves as a veterinarian, or diagnose, prescribe drugs, or perform surgery.
- Non-veterinarian animal health providers will refrain from animal cruelty (or they could be charged under the Animal Protection Act.)
- Animal Owners Exemption could not be amended without proof of public consultation.
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- Animal owners would have the right to qualified veterinary care and quality assured veterinary facilities overseen by a legislated governing body.
- All forms of complementary animal health wellness would be exclusive to veterinarians, (whether veterinarians are trained in it or not) and all non-veterinarian animal health practitioners would be working illegally unless working under the supervision of a veterinarian.
- Veterinarian decides, through paid referral and supervision, which kind of complementary health care an animal can receive, who can provide the service and how the service is being performed. Veterinarians will be legally liable for services provided under their supervision, so referrals will be limited.
- Non-veterinarian animal health care providers that do not work under the direct supervision of a veterinarian at all times can receive a “cease and desist” and further legal action from the ABVMA with no evidence of an animal being harmed.
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