About the Indiana Center for Animal Policy
The Indiana Center for Animal Policy (IN-CAP) was formed in July 2023 to serve as the umbrella agency for the state’s two Governor-appointed boards with missions that directly impact animal health and wellbeing: State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) and Board of Veterinary Medicine (VetBoard).
While remaining separate and autonomous, both boards were brought together under one roof to allow greater coordination, innovation, and cooperation to serve Indiana’s citizens.
Co-locating both agencies benefits Indiana’s animals, their owners, livestock producers, and veterinary professionals with:
- Innovate and new ways to work together:
- Increase outreach, and education to licensed veterinary medicine professionals.
- Streamline rulemaking to keep the veterinary profession current and in-step with the needs and expectations of citizens and animal agriculture, as well as changes in technology and market sectors.
- Coordinate creative approaches to addressing emergency situations that affect access to veterinary services essential to animal health and care.
- Provide a process for sharing information by the Office of the Attorney General to the BVM regarding complaints received and investigations conducted to allow the BVM to monitor for issues or trends in the demand for certain veterinary services and proactively shape animal policy to address these challenges.
- Coordinate with the Indiana Office of the Attorney General to respond to complaints and violations with the assistance of experienced veterinary staff.
- Facilitate delivery of service to rural Indiana.
- Capture synergies of cross-utilizing staff, resources, and expertise:
- Education and awareness (public information)
- Policy, research, and rulemaking (agency counsel)
- Compliance and investigations (district veterinarians and animal health specialists)
- Coordinate and extend statewide impact and services:
- The State Veterinarian serves as chief administrative officer to both the board and agency head of IN-CAP.
- BOAH personnel stationed across the state will extend the BVM’s reach and influence, while helping to improve compliance.
- Both boards share some support personnel and office space.
