Students who were enrolled in New Zealand's only veterinary technology degree have to reconsider their options after Massey University announced it will not take new students into the course from next year.
The course is the only veterinary technology degree option in New Zealand. Unlike vet nurses, vet technologists have similar roles to vets but don't perform significant surgeries, diagnose animals or prescribe medicine.
Animal lover Grace Gray thought becoming a vet technologist was the perfect fit. "You actually got to work with animals a bit more, it's a bit more hands on and then you could just support the vets and give them a little less pressure," she said.
Miss Gray had her university accommodation locked in and a pre-course internship arranged. "They sent us an email about half an hour before we were meant to go into our (NCEA) chemistry exam which was a bit tough.
"It's really disappointing especially that we didn't find out sooner and it would have been nice to actually have a nicer apology and for them to recognise that they told us really late," she said.
Ms Gray has now signed up for a psychology degree, but was one of 31 prospective students to have their plans cut short at the last minute.
A spokesperson for Massey University said it closed the course as it is not sustainable in its current format compared with the income received by the Government and student fees, and also because of the number of students enrolled.
'Graduates from this degree are highly-valued in New Zealand, in part because of the substantial component of clinical training in their degree,' Veterinary Science head Professor Jon Huxley said in a statement.
A review on whether the course can be made financially feasible for the long-term has launched, but Massey University can not provide a timeline for when this will be complete.
Massey University said the late announcement was regrettable.
Veterinarian Ian Schraa said the announcement is disappointing but a consequence of having too many lesser qualification vet courses in New Zealand and vets that aren't willing to give up some tasks to vet techs.
"We need improvement, we shouldn't be going backwards.
“We're not valuing our veterinary nurses and vet technicians and that's a little bit of a problem, I personally feel that the veterinary profession needs to let go and become more in tune with North America and Europe on that front.”
Federated Farmers president Katie Milne said the news came as a shock and loss for rural New Zealand, with farmers using vet techs to perform seasonal tasks like dehorning calves and collecting samples as part of the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.
"It is not only going to put pressure on vets but it will put the pressure on farmers too in trying to achieve all the jobs they've got to get done... I'm not sure where that will leave us going forward," she said.
Ms Milne said Federated Farmers will discuss the impact of the decision with Massey University, as well as what can be done to help get the course running again.
New Zealand Veterinary Association chief executive Kevin Bryant said in a statement he supports Massey University in its review and sees the 'challenging' situation as an opportunity for the wider industry to judge the value of the qualification in the sector.
'It is unclear at this stage how the temporary closure of the BVetTech degree could affect the veterinary profession and wider veterinary industry.
'The assumption we all make, in general, is that a qualification is good for capability building in NZ Inc,' he stated.
The course opened in 2009, replacing Massey University's Veterinary Nursing Diploma, and has around 25 graduates each year.
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