AB 516, authored by State Assemblymember Ash Kalra and SB 602, authored by State Senator Dave Cortese, will provide more opportunities for families to receive critical care for their pets
San Francisco, CA– With California pet owners experiencing a crisis-level shortage of veterinary professionals, the San Francisco SPCA (SF SPCA) is proud to sponsor two valuable laws that will enhance opportunities for the state’s animals to receive important health care.
Both bills will mean more veterinary services will be available for more Californians. Current laws with respect to the tasks that registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) can perform are unclear. In response, Assembly Bill 516 (AB 516), authored by State Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San José), will clarify that RVTs and veterinary assistants are allowed to do any task that they are not otherwise prohibited from performing by law. This will remove artificial limits on their practices, opening up more time for animals to obtain beneficial protection.
Additionally, Senate Bill 602, authored by State Senator Dave Cortese (D- Silicon Valley), will allow RVTs in designated animal shelters to conduct appointments providing basic but lifesaving vaccination clinics and parasite control without their supervising veterinarian on the premises.
“We applaud the leadership of Assemblymember Kalra and Senator Cortese for authoring these critical bills,” said SF SPCA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, DVM. “A dramatic shortfall of veterinarians in California has resulted in many pets not receiving the care and resources they need. By allowing veterinarians and their teams to maximize resources, we can open up new pathways to treat vulnerable animals most in need of care.”
With RVTs performing auxiliary tasks and conducting vaccine and parasite control appointments, veterinarians will be able to focus on other, more serious issues facing pets, thereby opening up more time for appointments and attention to our pets.
More than 344,000 California shelter animals do not have adequate access to veterinary care staff, according to a survey released in 2023 by the SF SPCA that highlights how veterinary professional shortages are profoundly impacting California’s most vulnerable animals. Those numbers have only grown since the 2023 survey was conducted.
AB 516 makes a declarative and affirmative statement that clarifies what kind of care that RVTs and veterinary assistants can provide to animals in shelters. These valuable veterinary professionals possess advanced training that often goes unutilized or underutilized, and AB 516 will change that dramatically. For instance, RVTs can perform dental services, extract teeth, induce anesthesia, place casts and splints, administer controlled substances, and much more. The bill confirms the authority of RVTs to undertake tasks for which they are trained, always under the order of a supervising veterinarian.
“RVTs and veterinary assistants are versatile professionals, trained to support their supervising veterinarians by performing a wide range of critical animal care tasks,” said Assemblymember Kalra. “Unfortunately, current regulations result in inefficient veterinary practices that are less able to meet the needs of our communities, especially amidst California’s ongoing veterinary care shortage. I am happy to collaborate with SF SPCA, CVMA, and San Diego Humane Society on AB 516, a bill that will address this issue by clarifying that RVTs and veterinary assistants are able to perform any tasks that are not forbidden by law.”
SB 602 is a complementary piece of legislation to 2023’s Senate Bill 669 (SB 669), which allows RVTs to administer vaccines on-location while their supervising veterinarian is available by phone. Vaccinations and parasite control represent vital preventive care that members of the public might not receive without this important law.
“This bill will help stop the spread of rabies and get more pets vaccinated statewide. It’s a win-win for public health and keeping our animals healthy,” said California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley)
The SF SPCA is a co-sponsor of both bills, along with the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and San Diego Humane Society.
“AB 516 and SB 602 represent a transformative leap forward in ensuring that every animal in California receives the veterinary care it deserves,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO, San Diego Humane Society. “By empowering registered veterinary technicians to provide essential medical services, these bills will not only reduce animal suffering but also strengthen public health and expand lifesaving care for those most in need. Supporting these measures is a commitment to both the well-being of our animals and the dedicated professionals who care for them.”
“AB 516 will provide veterinarians with a much-needed legal clarification that will increase confidence within the veterinary profession that the tasks of RVTs and veterinary assistants can be expanded to provide more care to animals in need. SB 602 will help shelters meet an existing state mandate to provide low-cost rabies vaccines to the public’s animals — which promotes public health and increases access to veterinary care,” says Dr. Grant Miller of the California Veterinary Medical Association.
If passed by the State Legislature and approved by Governor Gavin Newsom, the bills will go into effect on January 1, 2026.
Through several different initiatives, the SF SPCA has acted as a leader in the effort to address California’s access to veterinary care crisis. The organization embarked on the statewide survey to assess the scale of the issue, helped launch the first ever California Adopt-a-Pet Day, cosponsors an annual Advocacy Day bringing animal issues directly to our state legislators, and continues to advocate for much-needed animal welfare reforms at the State Legislature. Additionally, SF SPCA veterinarians frequently perform and oversee spay-neuter and vaccine services along with adoptions efforts in the Central Valley, where access issues are particularly acute.