One of many states on the West Coast requires a Doctor of Chiropractic to work under the direct supervision of a veterinarian when adjusting animals.
This is facilitating the Veterinary Medical Board to send cease and desist letters to chiropractors for practicing veterinary medicine without a license, limiting the public’s access to chiropractic care for their animals. This has been going on since 1998.
Two chiropractors have spent almost a decade fighting to improve animal chiropractic laws. They want to be able to work and live, without fear and harassment. Most of all, they want to set the record straight for animal chiropractic.
The pair wishes to remain anonymous for their safety.
“Animal chiropractic is growing at a rapid pace, but the laws are making it difficult for qualified doctors to work. The public is seeking out animal chiropractors. If we can’t do the job due to red tape, animal owners end up hiring someone less qualified than us. The animal community has been flooded with individuals that call their work “chiropractic” and they are not a licensed chiropractor. That is what has caused the vet board to worry about safety. But they don’t understand it’s likely not us who are the safety issue.
“The Chiropractic Defense Council has been a big game changer for animal chiropractic legislative efforts. Last year, we came to a dead end of resources and momentum in the state we live and work. We have done many years of work, found a senator to potentially author a bill, but we needed someone to help bridge the gap between the stakeholder groups involved: chiropractic association, chiropractic board, vet association, vet board, legislators, and chiropractors.
“The more people involved, the more concerns and roadblocks arose, and we could eventually get nowhere. Too many cooks in the kitchen with their own ideas, but no one is willing to just cook the meal.
“We really needed someone to help finish connecting and executing – that has been the CDC and Bharon Hoag. Bharon understands the regulatory animal chiropractic issues at length. That has made all the difference for us.
“I am burned out by the fight. I have witnessed some of my colleagues receive cease and desist letters. Their business and livelihood suffer. Many must stop practicing. This makes you question your career. I have asked myself many times if this is all worth it. I have thought about exiting the profession and doing something else,” said Dr. 1.
Dr. 2 pursued a career in chiropractic solely because they wanted to work with animals.
“If I had known what a struggle it would be to practice animal chiropractic as a chiropractor, I would have just become a vet.”
Dr. 2’s entire animal chiropractic career has involved having to look over their back, making sure patients were real clients and not stings, and fighting letters of harassment.
Three days before Christmas, Dr. 2 received a cease-and-desist letter accusing them of practicing veterinary medicine without a license. The charge was related to three pictures of them online, doing set ups on their own pets. These pictures were from almost a decade prior. However, in a patient setting, Dr. 2 had been following the state’s regulation of direct supervision. Yet they still were having to fight a possible fine of over $70,000. Unfortunately, Dr. 2 had to shut down their practice due to the possible cost of fighting this fine.
“I was devastated. I almost left my state to go to a state that had better animal chiropractic laws. Still, I couldn’t because I had spent years building my human and animal practice here. I am not the only chiropractor who has been harassed. There are other animal chiropractors, who despite following the current regulation, continue to get harassed for providing animal chiropractic care. You cannot have any online presence here, which essentially makes our profession non-existent. No wonder people can’t find qualified and certified animal chiropractors.
“I have stayed here to fight, but not practicing in the profession I want means I am not living up to my full potential. The mental anguish is the hardest part. Always looking over your back. For me to feel comfortable to practice animal chiropractic again, we need to change the laws. The Chiropractic Defense Council gave me the confidence to continue to fight for the rights of chiropractors and the public’s right to access to quality animal chiropractic care.
“Bharon Hoag and the Chiropractic Defense Council came into the picture because of the need for an organization that has the resources and authority to move legislation through.” said Dr. 2.
The CDC has been successful in bringing all parties together and helping them see how this can be a win-win for everyone.
