Editor’s observe: The next article is an op-ed written by W.Va. Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt.

Through the pandemic, of us hunkered down and averted social settings to cease the unfold of the covid virus. As they averted their pals and households, they sought out different forms of companionship, family pets. During the last two years, pet possession rose as a lot as 70%, growing the necessity for veterinarians of all sorts.

This has created a workforce disaster throughout the animal care trade. Even earlier than the pandemic, in keeping with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the necessity for veterinarians nationwide would enhance 16%. This has compounded the nationwide scarcity for veterinary companies, particularly inside our farming communities. In West Virginia, now we have felt this scarcity for a few years, particularly these docs and technicians who specialise in massive animals.  

As demand will increase for family pets, now we have seen many twin follow veterinarians drop the much less worthwhile farm animal aspect of their follow for the family pet care enterprise. A part of this equation is the nationwide decline in dairy farms which have been a mainstay for big animal practices. Because the steadiness shifts away from massive animal veterinarian care, it decreases entry to companies for all farmers, which creates one other hindrance to rising animal-based agriculture in West Virginia. A protected, dependable meals system falls on the shoulders of our veterinarian capability. If we’re going to work in the direction of constructing native resiliency, we are going to want many extra animal care professionals.

These professionals’ companies should not remoted to only animal care, as most veterinarians have coaching in public well being. The reason being many animal ailments will be transmitted to people, so it’s important veterinarians perceive the chance to human caretakers. WVDA Veterinarians labored intently with public well being officers throughout the early levels of the COVID-19 outbreak as some cats and canine confirmed signs. These animals have been examined to make sure the unfold wasn’t a threat to our animal populations in addition to those that oversee shelters and humane societies. Being positive they weren’t contaminated was higher than leaving it to likelihood, particularly within the early, low-knowledge part of the pandemic. 

Right here on the West Virginia Division of Agriculture, we make use of 5 full-time veterinarians. They work with colleagues across the state to create finest practices in addition to reply questions from the general public. These of us are additionally on the entrance line, defending our livestock industries by monitoring animal illness outbreaks. They’re those overseeing emergency motion plans and dealing with the trade to boost biosecurity all through West Virginia. From avian influenza to persistent losing illness to African swine fever, these WVDA staffers present the significance these licensed professionals play in West Virginia. 

I’m happy that the legislature has taken up the dialogue of how we finest deal with the shortages of veterinary medication. With the abundance of funding from quite a few federal sources, now could be the proper time to handle this essential scarcity. We must always embrace new expertise reminiscent of tele-veterinary medication together with veterinary technicians for on-farm care. Any dialogue that tries to deal with this subject should embrace veterinary technician packages as they could be an economical method to transfer ahead. I’m pleased with the work my workers is doing with WV State College and West Virginia College Davis School in a collaboration to construct a four-year Meals Animal Veterinary Know-how Program.

Regardless of the answer could also be, we should act now earlier than this downside has extreme results on our high quality of life in West Virginia. For many people, our animals are vital elements of our households. For West Virginia’s native meals programs to develop, we have to develop these companies to our farmers. I applaud our Legislature for taking the time to see how we deal with these issues and transfer the trade ahead. My hope is we are able to discover cost-effective means to extend the required veterinary companies to maintain our meals provide protected.

-Kent A. Leonhardt, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture