Posted on 07/26/2016 9:29:18 AM PDT by MichCapCon
A vet safely saves a dog’s life and the owners are happy, but he is punished with a fine and probation and could have lost his state license. Why? Because a state board — filled with his competitors — and a state department have that authority.
This case involved Dr. Jan Pol, a veterinarian near Mt. Pleasant. As Michigan Capitol Confidential reports, five years ago, Pol performed an operation that was shown on his program on the Nat Geo Channel. The dog, Mr. Pigglesworth, was saved from being euthanized for under $300. But an out-of-state vet complained to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, which punished him, “cit[ing] his failure to wear surgical gear (mask, gown, gloves) and to provide the patient with IV therapy. The bureau also faulted Pol for not placing a warming pad or blanket in the dog’s kennel during his recovery.”
The Michigan Court of Appeals overruled the decision. “As we said in the beginning, this case is curious. A dog’s life is saved, yet the veterinarian faces sanctions,” the court said.
What if we applied that same standard to all licensed professions? A building was painted, yet the painter faces sanctions. Hair was cut, yet the barber gets fined. Gutters were installed, yet the workers have their livelihood taken away.
This can only happen because each of the areas above, and hundreds more in Michigan, are subject to state licensing. This means workers have to meet certain educational requirements, pass certain tests, and pay extra fees to work. Most of the time, there is little reason for it.
Note that even without government licensing, the state can set health and safety rules. We require our restaurants to be clean and provide safe food – but Michigan does not mandate every cook to have a license. This is how it should be for most occupations.
What matters are the actual results of an action – not arbitrary state-mandated rules and requirements. If workers can safely and effectively provide a service and customers are happy, why should a licensing board or state department get in the way?
Doggie ping!
"You don't have the proper certification to operate a 4-slice toaster."
Dr. Pol is a mess and I wouldn’t let him touch my dogs. I believe in anesthesia and basic surgery room practices, especially when they are available.
Virtually all of the licencing agencies in Michigan are staffed by members of large companies and union reps. The sole purpose is to smack down any independent competition.
Vets make good money. Find me a state that doesn’t license them, and maybe I’ll move there and call myself one. Or maybe an unlicensed oncologist - cancer doctors make really good money and the patient frequently ends up dead anyway.
Only because training take 6 days and it costs $6500....
Because we are not in favor of the "Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs" forcing people to jump threw hoops to paint a house we must want untrained doctors.
Head to Rio, you will take the broad jump metal with that line of reasoning.
How to Apply for a Food Service License
http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1569_16958_16977---,00.html
Michigan even offers a STFU license.
I definitely want my pet’s vet state licensed, same as my doctor, my dentist, my lawyer, and many others. When they screw up, they either lose their license or there is a record for people to see.
Pet groomers should be state licensed and regulated. Maybe there would be fewer unnecessary injuries and deaths caused by unqualified people grooming pets.
You might want to read the story before commenting. The story IS about wanting untrained (or at least in this instance, poorly trained) doctors.
Was this an emergency situation? Why didn’t he use the proper equipment?
Perhaps you should read it.
It has nothing to do with doctors. The only time the word Dr. is used it is to refer to a veterinarian.
And he was not poorly trained or else he would not have been able to save the dog's life.
The whining from you and the out of state veterinarian seem to be in the "well I would have done it this way. Destroy the heretic!" category.
Where did you get the idea he doesn’t believe in anesthesia?
He uses it where appropriate. You have to remember anesthesia has its own inherent risks and there are cases where it is far riskier to use it than not to.
Like the poor kid who died under anesthesia in the dentist chair down here undergoing a simple tooth drilling. All to “save” her from 5 minutes of anxiety.
Dr. Pol is one of the best trained vets in the state.
The risks of anesthesia in both humans and animals are minimized by 1) pre-op tests, 2) administration by someone who knows what they are doing, 3) using the most up to date meds and procedures.
Dr. Pol’s tv show — scary to me.
True of the majority of regulation.
As happy as I am for the owners of this dog that Dr. Pol saved its life, I will sadly have to agree with you here.
I would never let my precious dog be put under anesthesia without IV therapy. I would never allow my dog to be operated on by a veterinary surgeon not wearing mask, gown, and gloves.
I can't believe this veterinarian actually filmed the surgery to be shown on National Geographic. That indicates he had no idea that he performed the surgery without following the most basic sanitary protocol for protecting the life of his patient. You couldn't pay me to use the services of a veterinarian with such horrendously poor judgement.
It’s especially bad in Michigan. I had to deal with it when I lived there. Unless you were connected with a big player crony, could bribe your way out of it, or flying under the radar, you couldn’t get a license to shit on sunday in your own bathroom without racking up back-breaking fines.
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