Veterinary board decided to end service contract
Keri Hudson-Reykdal, a veterinarian in Ashern, Man., opened a one-sentence letter June 22 that informed her she was out of a job.
The letter, from the Ashern and District Veterinary Board, informed Hudson-Reykdal that the board would not renew her service contract for 2013.
Hudson-Reykdal has worked in Ashern for 12 years, since she graduated from veterinary college in 2000. She said she doesn’t know why she’s being fired.
“Personally it’s a big blow because you feel like you’ve given your all for 12 years and it hasn’t been appreciated whatsoever,” said Hudson-Reykdal, who also runs a cow-calf operation in the Ashern area with her husband, Calvin.
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Hudson-Reykdal has decided to fight the decision. She said farmers and pet owners in the community have joined her.
Since late June, more than 575 local residents have signed a petition supporting the vet’s commitment.
“I’m getting phone calls every day,” said Hudson-Reykdal. “ ‘Keep your chin up. We’re proud of you. You’re doing the right thing … we’re embarrassed that the council is doing this to you’ … that kind of thing.”
On top of the local support, 16 veterinarians have written letters supporting Hudson-Reydkal, who said it’s unusual for a vet board to dismiss a doctor.
But even though 575 people have signed a petition asking the vet board to change its decision, the board has refused to budge.
Hudson-Reykdal said the vet board hasn’t told her why it is refusing to renew her contract and when she contacted several board members, they refused to discuss the reasons.
In an open letter, distributed through the Manitoba Agriculture office and the Rural Municipality of Grahamdale office, the six-member board highlighted several issues.
- Hudson-Reykdal wanted to work outside of the two municipalities of Grahamdale and Siglunes two to three days per week
- she wanted her monthly per diem allowances raised to $1,000 from $500
- she wasn’t adhering to provincially mandated maximum fees for vets working out of clinics jointly owned by the provincial government and local municipalities
The vet board’s letter to Hudson-Reykdal did not provide examples of overcharging and it didn’t say that she was working outside of the region. However, after reviewing feedback from taxpayers, the board decided not to renew the contract.
Hudson-Reykdal admits talking to the board about working outside the district, but she said her contract gives her that right.
“I talked to them back in December, saying business is slow here and I may need to go out of the area … to stay busy enough,” she said from the vet clinic in Ashern.
“(But) right after we talked it got a lot busier here…. (So) I’m not going out of the service area, as of now, because I don’t need to.”
Regarding the high fees, Hudson-Reykdal said 90 percent of her charges for service are according to the maximum fee schedule as outlined by the province. As an example, she said the schedule allows her to charge up to $3 per kilometre for mileage, but she charges $1.95.
“If you compare it (the fee schedule) to private practices or other provinces, it’s low. And it’s low because the government has subsidized these clinics. We (vets) get a clinic to practice out of…. In exchange the community gets a break on their vet prices.”
As for the per diem, Hudson-Reykdal said it’s not a per diem. She uses the $500 to partly cover the cost of operating the clinic, including cleaning and maintaining the blood and X-ray machines.
Vet boards in other parts of Manitoba compensate veterinarians $1,000 a month to cover the maintenance costs associated with running a clinic, Hudson-Reykdal said.
She asked for the additional funds to help offset the escalating maintenance costs at her clinic, she added.
The Western Producer was unable to reach a member of the Ashern and District Veterinary Board.
Linda Schroedter, a cattle rancher north of Ashern and former chair of the vet board, said the current board should tell ranchers and pet owners in the area why they are firing Hudson-Reykdal.
She said she doesn’t know all the details, but added it’s foolish to dismiss a dedicated vet who has lived and worked in the area for 12 years.
“If you did some research, you could quickly find out that one-vet, large animal practices in rural Manitoba, there’s not 10 people lining up to take the job…. She has set up her life here. She’s involved in the community. To push that away … is a mistake.”
- The Veterinary Services Commission administers a provincial program that grants funding to maintain and cover the operating costs of 27 district vet clinics in Manitoba
- In the case of the Ashern and District vet clinic, the facility is owned by the local vet board, in collaboration with the rural municipalities of Siglunes and Grahamdale and the provincial government
- the two levels of government grant money to the vet board, which in turn passes the funds to the vet to help offset the cost of operating the clinic
- members of the vet board include municipal councillors, local residents and one representative from the provincial government
