Rhode Island

Law barring vets from treating animals via telemedicine is outdated | Opinion

Published

7 months ago

June 14, 2025

Press Room

Law barring vets from treating animals via telemedicine is outdated | Opinion

Brad Shear and Jennifer Hobgood
| Guest columnists

Rhode Island law requires in-person veterinary exams before telehealth can be used, creating access barriers for pet owners.
House Bill 5555 aims to allow Rhode Island veterinarians to utilize telemedicine, expanding access to care amidst a veterinary shortage.
Telemedicine could help address challenges like cost, transportation, and pet anxiety, potentially preventing pet relinquishment.

Telehealth has become a mainstream mode of health care – safely and conveniently connecting people with medical professionals, with no clinic visit required unless the health care provider determines the patient needs to be seen in person. While telehealth is widely available to physicians and their human patients, including babies and nonverbal adults, an outdated Rhode Island law prevents veterinarians from treating animals using telemedicine technology unless the veterinarian has physically examined the pet.

This antiquated approach means that pet owners are forced to wait for hard-to-get appointments so that veterinarians can examine an animal in person as a prerequisite to providing any care via telehealth, including in situations when such an exam may not be necessary or pet owners face barriers to getting pets into clinics.

Fortunately, legislation has been introduced to expand access to safe, convenient veterinary telemedicine, helping to bridge gaps in care caused by the ongoing veterinary shortage. Sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray and Rep. Jon Brien, House Bill 5555 would empower state-licensed veterinarians to use telemedicine technology, giving them another tool to provide high-quality, accessible care, especially for pet owners who face financial, geographical or physical obstacles to seeing a veterinarian in person.

A nationwide veterinary shortage has made it harder than ever for pets to get care, and many pet owners in Rhode Island and beyond are struggling to access veterinary services. National data indicates that approximately one-third of pets do not regularly see a veterinarian for a variety of reasons: finances; transportation problems; because they have large, fearful, or travel-phobic animals; or because they live in a community that has few or no veterinarians. Lane closures and construction delays on Rhode Island’s bridges and roadways have made it increasingly difficult to get pets to the veterinarian. Telemedicine would help pets receive some of the care they need without having to leave home.

Many animal conditions can be safely treated through telemedicine, giving veterinarians and pet owners more choices when it comes to accessing important common medications for parasite prevention, treating itchy skin, ear issues, travel or separation anxiety as well as other behavioral problems, nutritional issues, veterinary hospice care, and more. Virtual appointments can sometimes even be more telling than in-person appointments because veterinarians can see the animal’s movement, behavior and environment while the animal is calm and comfortable in its own home rather than stressed in a clinic.

Lack of access to veterinary care is among the top reasons families are forced to make the heartbreaking decision to relinquish a pet to a shelter. In recent years, the Potter League has invested millions of dollars to improve access to veterinary care in our state, but even that huge investment is not enough to keep all Rhode Island pets safe, healthy and in their homes, where they belong. Expanding access to veterinary telemedicine would be an indispensable tool and could mean the difference between affordable access to care or no care at all.

At the Potter League for Animals and the ASPCA, we believe that highly educated, licensed veterinarians should be entrusted to assess when pets need to have an in-person examination, as well as those situations when telemedicine is a safe and satisfactory treatment decision.

Please join us in urging the General Assembly to pass Proposed Sub A for House Bill 5555 to empower veterinarians with another tool to provide high-quality, accessible care and ensure more pets can access the care they need.

Brad Shear is CEO of Potter League for Animals. Jennifer Hobgood is senior director of Access to Care Policy, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 10, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

05-19-21-28-64, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

17-24-36-38-43, Lucky Ball: 17

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

Midday: 6-3-1-0

Evening: 3-7-1-4

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

10-13-27-37-38, Extra: 19

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

GoLocalProv | News | Gov. McKee’s Schedule for the First 10 Days of the New Year

Published

17 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

GoLocalProv | News | Gov. McKee’s Schedule for the First 10 Days of the New Year

Saturday, January 10, 2026

GoLocalProv News Team

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Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal

It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.

Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.

For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.

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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.

McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.

A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.

Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?

GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026

No public events.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026

No public events.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026

2:00 PM

Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.

LOCATION:

RI State House Rotunda

82 Smith Street

Providence, RI

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026

No public events.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026

No public events.

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026

9:30 AM

Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.

LOCATION:

Cross’ Mills Public Library

4417 Old Post Road

Charlestown, RI

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026

No public events.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026

11:00 AM

Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.

LOCATION:

CIC Providence

225 Dyer Street

Providence, RI

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026

No public events.

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Rhode Island

GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

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Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal

Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.

Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”

The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.

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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.

“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.

Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”