Illinois Alliance for Animal Owners Rights

Download the IAAOR Flyer

IAAOR Goes to Bat in 2010

Nov. 1, 2010

February 2010 brought the IAAOR out of sleeping mode. Once again we had to go to bat to protect both consumer choice and the right to work for non-vet practitioners.

As you know, in 2004 we successfully fought off the IVMA's attempt to make any contact with an animal the practice of Veterinarian Medicine. We were able to insert an exemption, #8, into the Practice Act. That exemption addressed several issues about consumer freedom of choice options:

1. consumer choice for the animal owner concerning alternative therapies for their well animals;
2. right to work options and
3. a slight change to the language in IAAOR exemption 15 concerning equine teeth floating.

The 2010 bills, HB5377 and SB3712, introduced this past winter were going to gut the language in IAAOR exemption 8.

We retain the services of a lobbying firm to monitor all the thousands of bills introduced into the Illinois legislature. When a bill (s) is introduced that may be of impact to our rights they alert us to it's presence and content. It is thanks to this monitoring that we were on top of the game and were able to mobilize our membership and the public in February.

The IAAOR successfully stopped the changes that were proposed to the original amendments via bills HB5377 and SB3712. We succeeded because of animal owners, our members and the IAAOR lobbyist firm.

The response of owners and the public across the state was amazing. They wrote, faxed, and emailed their concerns and desires of consumer choice with their legislators, bill committee members and sponsors of the bill. We actually had legislators asking us to stop the calls! Great work gals/guys.

The IAAOR lobbyist did his part too, making contacts, keeping watch over these bills and guiding a group of IAAOR members to make direct personal contact with those legislators in Springfield at the Capitol Building during the legislative session. He helped us put a 'face' to the issue.

All of these combined efforts resulted in keeping the original language of exemptions 8 and 15 intact.

So,... you can continue to select the kind of alternative treatments you wish for your animals and providers can continue to be there to serve your pets needs.....at least for 2010-2011.

Your Board knows that without the legislative monitoring and 'street smarts' of our lobbyist we would not have succeeded. Unfortunately, these efforts come at a price.

We received a significant discount from our lobbying firm. However, the lobbying costs for 2010 were heavy. The IAAOR still owes thousands to our lobbyist.

The IAAOR and its Board are committed to fighting to retain the rights of animal owners and the alternative therapists who serve their pets. We are gearing up for the spring 2011 session when we again will monitor all new bills. To continue this effort we need your support.

Please continue to encourage your friends and fellow pet owners to join the IAAOR. Also encourage your providers to join the IAAOR. Professionals pay only a $100 for a year's membership and that goes a long way towards helping them be legally available for your pets.