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> Articles by: Christpina

Author: Christpina

Bridging Islands and Communities: Expanding Access to Veterinary Care Through the Mars Ambassador Program

As the plane descended over the emerald cliffs and black sand beaches of Hawai’i, I felt both awe and responsibility settle in. Ahead lay ten days of volunteer service as a Mars Ambassador, partnering with PetFix to bring spay/neuter and preventive care to communities where veterinary resources are scarce. From the air, the islands appeared connected by ribbons of ocean, yet on the ground, each community faced its own barriers: distance, cost, and access to veterinary care.

Employer Obligation: The “Know Your Rights” Notice

January 1, 2026, marked the implementation of California Senate Bill 294, also known as the “Workplace Know Your Rights Act.” The law was passed to help educate employees about their labor and civil rights under state and federal law. All California employers, including veterinary practices, are required to comply with this law by specified deadlines.

Start the Year Off Right with a CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance Subscription!

New subscribers save 20% OFF the CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance Subscription until March 15, 2026! The CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance is a vital benefit available only to CVMA members. This guide is specifically tailored to the needs of veterinary practices in California, offering a customized written safety and health plan for your practice, helpful forms and checklists, training resources, and more to help practices meet mandated requirements.

Why Veterinary Professionals Choose PacVet

With so many continuing education options available, veterinary professionals are increasingly selective about where they invest their time. Year after year, PacVet continues to be a conference many put back on their calendar, not out of habit, but because it delivers something concrete.

Get to Know Your CVMA Board of Governors: Ethan McEnroe, DVM

Dr. Ethan McEnroe serves on the CVMA’s Board of Governors as the at-large Early Career DVM governor. If you are a veterinarian less than seven years removed from veterinary school graduation, Dr. McEnroe is your representative to the Board of Governors!

Unique Insights from a Registered Veterinary Technician in Zoo Medicine

If you ask a zoo registered veterinary technician how they got to where they are today, you’ll likely hear a different path each time. The details vary, but one theme is consistent: they never gave up. For me, the dream started early. As a little girl, I told my parents I wanted to work in a zoo nursery. Frequent trips to the San Diego Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo fueled that fascination, and over time, my passion only grew stronger.

Premises Permits and Shelter Medicine: Helping Your Community, Increasing Your Scope of Practice

California shelters are facing a crisis in veterinary staffing: 60% report unfilled veterinary positions, most of which do not have any veterinarian, and therefore no premises permit, no controlled substances to treat animals, and minimal ability to provide even the most basic veterinary care. The extensive negative impacts of this shortage include prolonged lengths of stay, reduced adoptions, higher disease levels, and increased euthanasia.

Journey to VTS: Kristin Spring, BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), VTS(Anesthesia & Analgesia), CVPP

Kristin Spring earned her VTS in emergency and critical care (ECC) in 2007 and a second VTS in anesthesia and analgesia in 2010. She currently serves as the regional veterinary technician director for VCA Animal Hospitals in Northern California, supporting 25 general practice, specialty, and emergency hospitals. Kristin’s role focuses on developing veterinary technician teams, strengthening patient care, and building healthy, sustainable hospital cultures.

2025 Meritorious Service Award: Bonnie Mader

The CVMA annually honors those who have made significant contributions to the veterinary profession through a series of awards. This year, the CVMA recognized Bonnie Mader with the Meritorious Service Award, which honors service on behalf of animals, the veterinary profession, or people who celebrate and promote the human-animal bond in California.

Veterinary Beginnings: Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

When I was a child growing up in Southern California, one of my favorite books was James Herriot’s Treasury for Children. A veterinarian, Dr. Herriot wrote both adult and children’s stories about his cases and patients in the English countryside, and his tales of veterinary medicine inspired me to become a veterinarian myself.

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