Over 2018, the CCA’s Animal Chiropractic Taskforce, has been hard at work regarding Animal Chiropractic and direct access in the state of Colorado. Over the year, the taskforce met at least 25+ times to come to a final agreement on what should be included in the final bill.
Ultimately, direct access is allowed with an additional 9-hours of continuing education on top of the required 210-hours to obtain your animal chiropractic license.
Bill Summary:
Chiropractors – animal chiropractic adjustment – exemption from veterinary medical clearance requirement – continuing education – reporting requirements. The act exempts a licensed chiropractor performing an animal chiropractic adjustment from a requirement that the licensed chiropractor first obtain a veterinary medical clearance if the licensed chiropractor has successfully completed 9 hours of course work related to contagious, infectious, and zoonotic diseases. The act also requires that continuing education requirements for renewed registration in animal chiropractic include a 2-hour course on Colorado incidence rates for contagious, infectious, and zoonotic diseases and requires a licensed chiropractor performing animal chiropractic to notify the state veterinarian and an animal patient’s licensed veterinarian if the licensed chiropractor suspects that the animal patient has a contagious, infectious, or zoonotic disease. Finally, the act amends the definition of “animal chiropractic” to refer to performing chiropractic adjustment of dogs and equids, where current law defines it as performing chiropractic adjustment of dogs and horses, and defines “equid” to include horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
You can read the full bill here: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb18-239 This bill takes effect August 8, 2018.
CCA and CVMA Fact Sheet here
A big THANK YOU to the ENTIRE Animal Chiropractic Taskforce, whom without this would not be possible. Those members include: Dr. Kristy Campbell, Dr. Paige Mott, Dr. Clayton Sullwold, Dr. Petra Sullwold and Dr. Jim Farrell from the CCA. Members from the Colorado Veterinarian Medical Assocaition (CVMA) include: Dr. Will French, Dr. Alex Turner, Dr. Stacee Santi, Dr. Kelly Walsh.
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| SB18-239 passed the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee Pictured: Back row L -R: Dr. Will French, DVM – CVMA, Mike Beasley, CCA Lobbyist, Dr. Alex Turner, DVM – CVMA Front row: Dr. Rachel Wendt, DC – CCA Executive Director, Dr. Paige Mott, DC – CCA, Diane Matt – CVMA CEO, Senator Vicki Marble, Ronald Halpern – Colorado Voters for Animals, Leo Boyle – CVMA Lobbyist | SB18-239 passed the House Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources 12-0. Pictured: L-R back row: Rep. Jon Becker, Dr. Alex Turner – CVMA, Dr. Will French – CVMA L-R Front Row: Rep. Jeni Arndt, Diane Matt – CEO CVMA, Lori Greenstone – Colorado Voters for Animals, Dr. Rachel Wendt – CCA Executive Director, Dr. Greg Haitz -CCA President |