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California PT board hears competing proposals to regulate physical therapy for animals
Summary
The Physical Therapy Board of California heard multiple presentations and public comment on whether and how to authorize physical therapists to treat animals, including national FSBPT model regulations and clinician testimony urging a statutory fix; veterinarians’ groups urged maintaining direct veterinary supervision.
The Physical Therapy Board of California spent a large portion of its Dec. 12 meeting on whether and how licensed physical therapists should be authorized to provide physical therapy to animal patients.
Advocates, including the Animal Physical Therapy Coalition, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and clinicians who practice under other states’ rules urged the board to seek statutory clarity in the board’s 2026 sunset review so California law recognizes animal physical therapy as a specialty of physical therapy when specific education, veterinary diagnosis and veterinary medical clearance or referral are satisfied. "If California does not act, wait lists will remain long," Karen Atlas, president of the Animal Physical Therapy Coalition, said during her presentation, urging the board to recommend legislative changes that preserve veterinary authority for diagnosis while allowing PTs to treat animals within a defined competency framework.
FSBPT task‑force members described model regulations the federation published this year. Leslie…
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