Committee defers veterinary-manager rule after PetIQ testimony; board and opponents schedule April meeting

A proposed Board of Veterinary Examiners regulation that would require a veterinary manager to be physically present at each facility during business hours and limit managers to overseeing no more than five registered facilities was deferred after testimony from a representative of PetIQ Clinics.

Bob Babbage told the subcommittee he was speaking for Dr. Katrina Fleer, medical director for Kentucky PetIQ Clinics, and said the rule "appears written for traditional full-service veterinary hospitals" and would impose significant administrative burdens on limited-service clinics. "Across Kentucky, we have 84 registered clinic locations, but most operate only once per month for about 90 minutes," Babbage said, adding that those clinics do vaccinations and preventive care but do not perform surgery or house animals overnight.

Board representatives told the committee they had offered multiple dates to meet with interested parties; the board and PetIQ agreed to an April 10 meeting. Co-chair West asked whether the parties would be willing to defer the regulation until the next month, and the board and PetIQ confirmed they would. The committee moved to defer the regulation for additional discussion and to allow the board to reconcile its draft with stakeholder concerns.

What happens next: the Board of Veterinary Examiners and interested parties are scheduled to meet in April; the subcommittee deferred final action so the board can consider revisions and report back.