On March 2, the Florida Board of Veterinary Practice (FBVP) unanimously voted that their interpretation of the state’s practice act (which governs animal care and what is construed as veterinary medicine) said acupressure, aromatherapy, animal communication, farriery, flower essence therapy, homeopathy, light therapy, magnet therapy, and nutritional counseling are all practices limited to Florida licensed veterinarians.

However, after the meeting, the board chairman said that the group should have been more specific about farriery.

The FBVP dedicated a portion of its general business meeting to assist the Florida Alliance for Animal Owners Rights (FAAOR) with questions regarding the practice of veterinary medicine in the state. FAAOR is seeking to increase the animal owner’s options in seeking care from persons other than licensed veterinarians. They gave the board a list of 10 practices on which to rule.

According to Robert O’Neil, DVM, FBVP chairman and a racetrack practitioner in South Florida, the state’s statute was re-read, and the governor-appointed board–which consists of five veterinarians and two non-veterinarians–voted on its interpretation, which was unanimous that all 10 were technically the practice of veterinary medicine