Some considerations made by the Animalista movement on Decree 20/2020, on the contraventions of Veterinary Medicine in Cuba (January 2021)

Petition: Javier Larrea

Decree 20/2020 Contraventions of Veterinary Medicine that has just been published by the Gaceta de la República de Cuba (GOC-2021-134-011), is a very complete and detailed document that aims to order and unify the practice of veterinary medicine in Cuba, which is very commendable.

However, there is one aspect that tremendously affects companion and private animals, which do not belong to companies and state institutions, and to their owners: the prohibition of Cuban veterinarians from providing assistance services as self-employed workers. Why?

In the first place, because the Cuban state system of veterinary services has shown not to have the capacity to satisfy the needs of the population or to offer quality veterinary services. It does not have enough clinics, vaccines, medications, or diagnostics, in addition to lacking many other essential resources. Due to this, among other things, many animal owners seek private veterinary services since, generally, they have the necessary resources to restore the animal to health. But there is more: sometimes the veterinarians themselves in state clinics purchase drugs on their own in order to provide some kind of service to patients or to sell them to those who need them at a price equivalent to that set by the State in product stores for pets (until recently in CUC). Such is the lack of resources.

The protectors who have been invited by the Minagri to listen to its criteria in relation to the next Decree-Law of Animal Welfare, have asked it to allow the creation of veterinary cooperatives that can support the deficient state system. These cooperatives could function like any other: they would pay taxes, rent premises from the State, be authorized by the State to import medicines, vaccines and diagnostic means, etc., and they would function, in short, under the regulations determined by the Ministry of Agriculture or the corresponding institution, which would solve an immense and growing problem that the State is not in a position to solve.

The Ministry of Agriculture itself has argued that health is one. So, how can you not understand that the health of a pet directly impacts the health of its owner? How do you think a person (or a family) feels who goes to a state veterinary office and cannot find a solution for their pet's problem? As opposed to this, private vets have been solving this problem for decades. What have not paid taxes? Well, no one has asked. And we agree that they pay them, but the solution is not to prevent them from working but to regulate the way they do it. Until the 90s of the last century, they could even write prescriptions as valid as those of any doctor.

This prohibition of veterinary exercise on their own account leaves the owners of companion and affectionate animals, and these, in great helplessness, for several reasons:

The owners of affectionate animals will no longer have the medicines their pets need at their disposal, with the consequences of pain and impotence that this will generate, since the State is not able to provide them as private veterinarians do.

Animal owners are now left without the possibility of choosing the veterinarian of their choice, the one they consider most competent to care for their sick pets, and they will have to settle for the one they get at the State office, whether they like it or not. whether they consider you capable or not, whether you are interested in animals or not, which will affect everyone: the animals and also the owners, who will suffer by not seeing their pets in the hands they consider best and by not being able to provide them with the best possible care. Remember that affectionate animals are part of the human family and you suffer for them as you suffer for a dear relative.

Private veterinarians generally operate in the locality, in the neighborhood, therefore, patients save the very high price of renting a transport to move further, which, from now on, will not be the case.

Owners of animals who cannot move outside the house will not be able to count on the home services that some private veterinarians offer.

And what about the effects on stray animals rescued by protectors and animal rights? In many cases, they have the free or voluntary services of private veterinarians. The State is not the one who carries out deworming, vaccination or sterilization campaigns. All these services are provided by private veterinarians to help Animal Welfare and that of the community.

These are just some of the adverse consequences that the prohibition of providing veterinary services on your own will bring. There are many more, which will become visible over time.

Please, Minagri, consider these problems and these situations, and rectify that prohibition.

What we ask the State is to regulate veterinary services on its own, not to prohibit them as they have proven their importance and usefulness.

The population needs you!

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