Bill > AB1458

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for licensed physical therapists to provide animal physical therapy in California, with specific requirements and limitations. To practice animal physical therapy, a physical therapist must have held an active license for at least one year, complete a rigorous training program including 100 hours of animal-related instruction and 40 hours of clinical training, and gain at least 125 hours of supervised experience. The physical therapist must notify the Physical Therapy Board of their animal physical therapy practice and can provide services either under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian at a registered premises or through a referral from a veterinarian with whom they have a written practice agreement. The bill mandates that the physical therapist inform the animal's owner about their licensing and limits their practice to physical therapy, explicitly prohibiting them from performing veterinary medicine. Physical therapy aides may assist in performing animal physical therapy, but unlicensed individuals are not authorized to practice. The bill also establishes disciplinary mechanisms, such as requiring the Physical Therapy Board to notify the Veterinary Medical Board of any actions against a physical therapist practicing animal physical therapy, and specifies that the physical therapist is solely liable for delegated tasks. Ultimately, the bill aims to create a structured, supervised approach to providing physical therapy services to animals while maintaining clear boundaries between physical therapy and veterinary medicine.

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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1458