Opinion: Proposition 129 Will Help People and Pets in Colorado

With the 2024 election just days away, many of us are taking our time to work through a very long ballot in Colorado this year. Thankfully, there is one proposition that is an easy “yes” vote if you care about protecting animals: Proposition 129, which would allow the creation of a new Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role, making it easier for Colorado pet owners to get their furry family members veterinary care. As the nation’s leading voice for animals for over 150 years, the ASPCA joins our Colorado animal welfare partners in strongly supporting a yes vote on Proposition 129.

If you have a pet, you know getting an appointment with the veterinarian has become more challenging, even if your pet is in pain or injured. One study shows that by 2030, 75 million pets in the U.S. could be without veterinary care, with workforce shortages making it difficult and costly to ensure that pets who are suffering receive the care they need. Enabling a new, highly trained VPA to provide quality routine medical care and procedures will help ensure more pets who currently go without veterinary care are treated while reducing the burdens on our existing veterinary staff and allowing veterinarians to focus on more complicated diagnostics and procedures.

The ASPCA is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit employers of veterinarians, and alongside local shelters like the Dumb Friends League and NoCo Humane, we treat pets whose owners struggle to access veterinary care, and we are committed to creating a safer, more compassionate world for animals. Animal welfare advocates, shelters, and community medicine clinics seeking to ensure that every pet can obtain the care they need know that Proposition 129 is desperately needed. All pets deserve care, and too many families are forced to make the heartbreaking decision to rehome, surrender, or euthanize beloved pets when they are unable to afford expensive care.

To protect pets and help animal shelters, please vote "yes' on Proposition 129.

Sabrina Pacha is a Denver resident and serves as the ASPCA’s director of state legislation for the Mountain West region.

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