MAINE, USA — Maine lawmakers are working to address labor shortages in the direct care workforce, including caring for pets. In a new bill, lawmakers propose incentives to bring veterinarians to Maine.
Dozens of veterinary clinics in Maine post job descriptions through the Maine Veterinary Medical Association. The need for vets is dire, specifically for emergency veterinarians in rural Maine.
"We currently have a huge shortage of veterinarians in Maine," Dr. Casey Cole, president of the Maine Veterinary Medical Association, said.
He told stories of families who have had to drive hours to get their sick pets looked at.
"They drove from Fort Kent to see me in Scarborough," he said.
That's a 330 mile, 5 1/2-hour drive.
"They potentially could die before seeking treatment," Cole added.
Stories like these are why state lawmakers are looking to give more veterinarians a reason to work in Maine. Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, is sponsoring a bill that would lessen the student loan burden for veterinarians.
"Part of the reason why there aren't that many veterinarians in northern Maine is because the debt incurred by veterinary school is more than oftentimes a salary that a veterinarian in northern Maine can earn," Fay said.
The bill would provide more loan opportunities to veterinarians practicing here.
Maine currently offers two students the Maine Veterinary Medicine Loan each year. They can be awarded up to $25,000 a year for four years.
But if this bill passes, that will increase the number of loans from two to 10 and increase the forgivable amount from $25,000 to $50,000.
There's also an incentive for these loan recipients to work in Maine when they're done with school. Every year they work in Maine, 25% of the loan will be forgiven. There are no doctor of veterinary medicine programs in the state, which is why Fay and Cole said this bill is crucial to recruiting vets to the state.
If passed, people who want to study emergency veterinary medicine will be favored in the loan application process since there are very few emergency clinics in Maine.