Rhode Island battles non-economic damages

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association (RIVMA) says it's relieved legislation that could reward owners non-economic damages and increase veterinarians' malpractice insurance didn't make it out of committee.

"We wrote letters to committee members and really made our opposition to the bill known," says Nancy Klaffky, RIVMA executive director. "We are very pleased the legislation didn't go through."

Veterinarians are currently exempt from the $1,000 fine and one-year imprisonment term that will be given to residents who commit a crime against an animal, causing what is considered "non-economic damage".

The association fears HB 533 is a step in the wrong direction for practitioners.

"There is no definition of animal in the bill; it simply states 'every living creature except a human being,' " Klaffky says.

The fear is if veterinarians are included in the legislation, the added liability the law could enforce might raise insurance rates for DVMs.

"This could have a chain-reaction effect. The increase of insurance rates would prompt veterinarians to increase fees and ultimately discourage owners from bringing their pets in for medical care," Klaffky adds.

The bill has been introduced the past three years and is expected to pop up again next session.

"We haven't seen the last of this legislation," Klaffky says. "There are some good points to the bill. If the bill is made into law, animal abusers will be punished much more aggressively."