🐾 CIG appoints long-awaited veterinary board

After a seven-month delay, the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) has appointed a new Veterinary Board. The delay was reportedly due to difficulties in finding individuals willing to serve on the board. This delay resulted in a backlog of veterinarians waiting to receive their practice licenses, exacerbating an already serious shortage of vets on the islands. 🏝️

The newly appointed board has begun addressing the backlog of applications, with several already approved and others deferred pending additional information. The board, chaired by Acting Department of Agriculture Director Brian Crichlow, includes both reappointed and new members. The board's responsibilities include registering veterinary surgeons and animal health assistants, regulating training, and ensuring professional conduct and ethics in the field. 🐕

The delay in appointing the board led to a recruitment crisis that put animal lives at risk and affected veterinary businesses. Vets reported being forced to reduce practice hours and cancel surgeries due to staff shortages. The newly appointed board, which will serve for three years, is expected to help alleviate these issues and enable more vets to start work. 🏥