Letters: Pending legislation can help pets (and their humans) benefit from telemedicine

I became a veterinarian to help pets live their healthiest, happiest lives. It is one of my goals as chief medical officer at First Coast No More Homeless Pets, where we help Jacksonville pet owners access affordable care.

However, many of our clients are unable to access traditional veterinary care either from financial limitations or mobility and travel issues. The logistical challenges due to resources, transportation or behavior can (and often do) delay or prevent animals from getting treatment.

Therefore, I’m grateful that Florida lawmakers are considering legislation that would expand access to veterinary telemedicine — the Providing Equity in Telemedicine Services Act (HB 1117/SB 1600). Telemedicine could provide an effective alternative method of care delivery for pet parents with any of the above limitations, but first we must fix a broken law that prevents such access.

Under outdated state regulations, veterinarians may be disciplined if they fail to conduct in-person physical examinations of animals before providing treatment — even for common situations like ear issues, skin allergies or flea and tick medication. These overly restrictive regulations have no basis in logic or science, but they create significant barriers to veterinary care, preventing broad, effective use of vital veterinary telemedicine, especially for those who have no other means to get care.

Florida’s pet owners and veterinarians should have the benefits of safe, convenient telemedicine — a practice already widely accepted and used in human care. The Providing Equity in Telemedicine Services Act would enable licensed veterinarians to use telemedicine in our practice, giving veterinary professionals and pet owners more options for accessing care. Please join me in urging our Florida state lawmakers to pass this act into law without delay.

Yvonne Kline, DVM, Jacksonville

Misguided obsession with drag queens

I’m old enough to remember watching “The Flip Wilson Show” with my parents, and all of us immensely enjoying his female alter ego, “Geraldine.” Later, I caught the movie “Some Like It Hot,” where Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon impersonated women. The TV show “Bosom Buddies” had Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari in drag. The Broadway and movie versions of “Hairspray” featured at least three men — Harvey Fierstein, Divine and John Travolta — in the role of Edna Turnblad.

Heck, even Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) on “Family Matters” played his own cousin, Myrtle Urkel, to hilarious effect. RuPaul has his own show, "RuPaul's Drag Race."

My question is this: Why the sudden obsession with female impersonators by so many Republicans in this country these days? Is this really a top concern? When I watched Geraldine as a kid, I didn’t feel groomed, indoctrinated or offended. I just laughed and so did my dad.

I’ve seen drag performances all my life and I turned out just fine, as did my family and friends. The world didn’t come to an end. It was simply a non-issue, until now.

An attempt to hide this particular form of entertainment is misguided, to say the least. If politicians want to protect “the children” (perhaps after they complete another active shooter drill), then maybe they can explain to them that if they are mature enough to understand that they might be killed by a madman in their classroom, they can surely grasp the concept that some adults enjoy playing dress-up.

I am quite certain they can handle it.

Patrick Doran, Jacksonville

DeSantis doing an excellent job

This letter is in response to an April 9 opinion column written by Phyllis Erney.

In the article it states, Gov. Ron DeSantis is “against the teaching of diversity and social-emotional learning …” First of all, programs such as critical race theory have no place in our schools. They are nothing more than indoctrination from the left. They add very little value (if any) to the curriculum and add nothing to learning critical life skills. If anything, they have a negative impact regarding race relations.

Also, children, especially at an incredibly young age, should not be learning about sexuality, homosexuality or gender identity. Children should be studying reading, writing and arithmetic. Our children are not wards of the state and certain subjects should be left to the parents — it is their responsibility. The recent legislation passed here in Florida blocking the teaching of sexuality is not anti-gay; it simply prevents the teaching of anything of a sexual nature to our young children.

Gov. DeSantis has done an excellent job managing the state of Florida. The actions he took during the COVID-19 epidemic — i.e., keeping our schools and economy open — were spectacular. He has wide public support and won the past election by a wide margin.

FYI, I taught school many years ago here in Florida and I am a Vietnam veteran.

Don Pollack, St. Johns

Responsible gun owner worried

Recent action by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by the governor allowing concealed carry of a firearm without a permit scares me.

I took advantage of concealed carry several years ago by purchasing a weapon, attending a concealed carry training class and receiving my permit. Since I understand the liability of carrying a firearm, I go to a licensed firearms range monthly and work with a firearms training expert who provides instruction in drawing, shooting and holstering my weapon.

We also train in how to respond to an armed threat. This is great training but very expensive to do on a monthly basis. However, I think the cost is offset by being a competent and responsible concealed carry citizen in Florida and a visitor to other states that accept a Florida permit. My concern is that now untrained, unlicensed people ― and even some convicted criminals — will begin carrying firearms and use them without respect for the potential liability.

I support our governor but think his rush to get certain laws passed is not fully thought out as to the potential impact on our great state.

Charles E. Brown, Jacksonville

Protect SNAP benefits

While families in our area are struggling with the rising costs of food and trying to provide healthy meals for their children to eat, extremist Republicans in Washington, D.C., are proposing massive cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) — the key program helping millions put food on the table.

Republicans have introduced legislation that, for the first time ever, would subject parents or grandparents with children 7 years or older to a harsh time limit of three months of SNAP if they cannot meet burdensome work requirements (right now, adults with any minor child are exempt). To put it clearly — these proposals would take food away from hungry children. If this legislation were to pass, 4 million children would see a massive reduction in their food assistance.

SNAP is one of the strongest tools our nation has to combat hunger. Our elected leaders should be strengthening SNAP benefits and protecting them against attacks, not doing the opposite. Our families are counting on our members of Congress to stand up against these attacks and protect SNAP.

Natalie McBride, St. Johns

Increasing inhumanity of politicians

I really love to read my daily paper, but my reading time is getting shorter lately. I avoid any article regarding Donald Trump and only skim the reporting on Gov. Ron DeSantis.

On Wednesday, April 12, the headlines show how DeSantis is basically using state funds as part of his war chest to run for president. He will waste more of our money on expansion of the death penalty, and anything that makes the front page above the fold is free advertising for him.

Then I see the appalling comments by Rep. Webster Barnaby (R-Deland) about transgender people. Where’s the decorum?

As a retired family nurse practitioner, I can assure Mr. Barnaby that we are not all made alike. There is an entire spectrum of physical sexuality between male and female. This is not about personal or religious beliefs, but about justice for all people.

We seem so fearful of having science in our lives, but that is where we need to turn to discern these issues.

Linda Leake Tisdale, Jacksonville

Both candidates have shortcomings

Here are my observations as a No Party Affiliation voter on the runoff election for mayor.

Candidate Donna Deegan, to my knowledge, has no experience in government or running a city with the complexities and size of Jacksonville. It’s nice to campaign on what you intend to do as mayor but please explain where the funds will come from or how they will be levied. Kudos to her for running a positive campaign, though.

Candidate Daniel Davis is what I term a "resume” candidate, meaning he checks all the boxes. However, he snubbed his nose at voters by refusing to attend candidate forums. The April 13 Times-Union article delineating his net worth and salary for years implies to me he is a poor money manager. His net worth as reported should (at the very least) be doubled by now. Consequently, what type of steward will he be of public funds?

John Haynes, Jacksonville

Puzzling Republican priorities

I would rather have my pregnant teenage daughter be allowed to have an abortion than be killed. I would rather have my first-grade daughter learn about gays than be killed. I would rather have my third-grade son see an image of a naked woman than be killed. I would rather that my eighth-grade daughter have a transgender boy walk in on her in the bathroom than be killed. I would rather my high school son learn about slavery and the plight of Black people in the U.S. than be killed.

My children have active shooter drills and are learning how to barricade themselves in classrooms. Yet Ron DeSantis and his supporters are more concerned with what our children can do and see in school than banning automatic weapons, which are only used for killing people.

Wim Blees, St. Augustine

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New law would help pets (and their humans) through telemedicine