The Protect Our Pets Petition: End Corporate Vet Immunity
Families deserve veterinary care that puts pets over profits. We’re calling on legislatures across the country to demand transparency, accountability, and patient-first standards in veterinary medicine.
our story
In September 2023, Mr. Mister was admitted through the ER of VCA Animal Specialty Group in Glendale, California for dehydration and elevated kidney values.
During his stay, neurological and breathing complications arose. At that time, we were informed that the veterinarian managing his case needed approval from their supervisor to administer his prescribed medication. Their supervisor who was not at the hospital and we were told that the supervisor was unreachable, and therefore our agreed-upon treatment plan would not be followed.
While we were told that he would receive specialist-level care from the Internal Medicine department, we later learned that his case was being managed day-to-day by a rotating intern - a recent veterinary graduate who had completed her degree about three months earlier.
What We’re Asking For
Pets and their families deserve the same safety, transparency, and accountability humans expect in a hospital. These are common-sense improvements veterinary emergency hospitals, state lawmakers can no longer ignore.
RECognize PETS as family
Pets should not lose legal rights the moment they walk into a veterinary hospital. Recognize companion animals as family members, not just property, so families can recover emotional distress damages when negligence or malpractice causes harm.
corporate accountability
Hold veterinary corporations responsible when company policies or cost-cutting directly cause injury or prevent proper care. Veterinarians who cause harm or abuse animals must also face accountability beyond a mere finding of “negligence.” If an average person can be prosecuted for failing to provide food, water, or restricting a dog’s oxygen by tying something too tightly around the neck, veterinarians should face similar consequences.
informed consent
Families are often not told if their pet’s care, diagnosis, or life-saving surgery is being performed primarily by an intern or trainee. As in human healthcare, require full disclosure of risks, clarity about provider roles (interns, residents, students), and the right to refuse.
escalation pathways
Families must have a timely way to escalate medical concerns beyond interns or junior staff — whether to an on-site veterinarian (in larger hospitals) or through a clearly defined chain of responsibility and transfer options for urgent cases.
whistleblower protections
Protect veterinary staff, veterinary technicians and veterinarians who speak out about unsafe practices, fraud, or harm to animals, so they cannot be fired or blacklisted for doing the right thing.
on-site transparency
Human hospitals post visible patient rights charters, oversight agency contacts, and Department of Public Health notices. Veterinary hospitals should do the same, with Veterinary Medical Board contact info and complaint rights clearly displayed.
treatment room cameras
Require cameras in treatment areas and mandate footage retention for a set period. Families should not have to rely solely on the words of staff accused of harm when records are incomplete or altered.
mandatory staffing ratios
Establish safe veterinary technician-to-patient ratios similar to human nurse-to-patient standards, preventing dangerous overload where one tech is forced to monitor multiple critical animals.
