The current proposal to tax veterinary medical care is contained in theadministration's "Governor's Budget: Special Session 2008-09" document. Theproposal recommends that on February 1, 2009, the sales and use tax bebroadened to include services, such as "appliance and furniture repair,vehicle repair, golf, and veterinarian services."

"Subjecting complicated veterinary medical procedures and treatments totaxation would be the same as taxing health care for children in California,"said William Grant, II, DVM, president of the CVMA. "What will happen to thesick or injured pets of people already struggling with potential homeforeclosures and job losses? How much more heartbreak is it fair to ask of ourfellow citizens?"

The CVMA is asking its membership of more than 6,000 veterinarians towrite letters to the governor noting the hardship this proposed sales tax ofapproximately 9 percent would have on consumers; the potential adverse impacton already overcrowded pet shelters; and the unintended consequence ofincreases in food prices at the supermarket due to taxes on care for foodproduction animals.

"We are concerned that the governor's proposal puts veterinary medicalcare in the same category as furniture repair and golf," added Grant."Further, this tax would be discriminatory in that it singles out only onehealing arts profession. Does this administration consider the health andwelfare of our companion and food animals a luxury item that animal ownersshould consider delaying until better times when they can afford the tax?"

Even though the proposal does not require the taxation of the drugs andmedicines used in veterinary services, treatments and surgical services wouldbe taxed. Thus, a Parvo vaccine would not be taxed, but a spay or neuterprocedure would be.

The CVMA is concerned about the impact on California's shelterpopulations. Shelters already care for more than 800,000 cats and dogs andeuthanize about 400,000 every year at an annual cost to taxpayers of$275 million. Taxing care beyond affordability will only increase shelterpopulations past capacity, resulting in even more deaths.

The CVMA calls on Governor Schwarzenegger to remove the proposed tax onveterinary services from the 2008-09 Special Session proposal.

The California Veterinary Medical Association is the largest stateveterinary medical association in the United States, with more than 6,200members. For more information, visit http://www.cvma.net.

SOURCE California Veterinary Medical Association