🚀 go-pugleaf

There aren't many things for kids to do in SW Colorado. But one of the
more positive activities is involvement in local 4-H projects. So why
should a disgruntled, profit-oriented veterinarian from another county
give a damn what a group of 4-H'rs in Delores County do to raise funds
if it's legal and provides a huge service to the community??

Well, ask Dr. Martin McKean of Cedarwood Veterinary Clinic in Cortez,
Colorado. It seems that Dr. McKean, having not drawn a significant
interest in his yearly vaccination "clinic" in Dove Creek, Colorado,
became bitter and envious that the local 4-H club members were going
to beat him out of a few dollars. See, the 4-H kids, needing a way to
raise funds, decided to have a vaccination clinic of their own. They
would not be doing any of the vaccinations but they would be helping
to keep it organized and handle the paper work. Qualified adults would
be giving the shots, doing the wormings and handling the animals. 

This is all perfectly legal in the state of Colorado. Both the State
veterinarian and the assistant AG for their office can find no statute
or regulation which bars the 4-H group, or even individual owners from
properly vaccinating and worming their pets. The only requirement
which makes the tags and certificates for RABIES ONLY valid is that
the certificate be SIGNED by a vet. Well, there is no veterinarian in
this very small community, so under the law any federal, state or
local official can validate the certificates.

That wasn't good enough for Dr. McKean. Discovering that his
posturings about vaccination clinics being illegal was patently wrong,
he proceeded to contact the department heads of Colorado State
University, the governing entity of the County Extension office which
does the 4-H projects. He threatened and whined and carried on to the
point that the CSU officiates have now told the local extension agent
that the 4-H'rs can have nothing to do with this project unless a
veterinarian agrees to supervise. 

Never mind that the adults who would administer the clinic are animal
health technicians. Never mind that this provides protection against
disease for family pets. And forget about what a community service
project this is for the kids around here. Good ole Marty, purely out
of spite and malice, for the want of a buck, chose to beat up on a
bunch of kids who have been working and planning this thing for quite
some time.

When kids under adult supervision hit upon a way to raise money for
their non-profit organization that cuts into ole Marty's, and any
other money grubbing vets practice profits, the positive efforts and
plans are forgotten. The CSU officials have pulled their heads in like
turtles, ruling that the vet gets his way. Now, I ask you, where is
their backbone? CSU, the home of one of the best vet schools in the
country, can't be bothered to send one of their vets here. Nooooo.....
its too far. Yet they feel tough enough to back the histrionics of a
vexatious vet over these kids.

Thanks heaps, CSU. Your courage and support are laughable. But guess
what! There's nothing stopping the adults from having the vaccination
clinic and donating the proceeds to 4-H. Bet CSU doesn't turn it's
collective noses at that!

And to the veterinarian Martin McKean: when you stop worshiping that
bottom line of yours, maybe this community will forgive you for your
childish antics. Of course, hell will surely freeze over first!


Jeers,

Leslie