An association for the companies building veterinary technology

Our mission

To advance veterinary technology that respects veterinary professionals, improves animal health outcomes and makes appropriate veterinary care more accessible.

The Veterinary Technology Association represents the companies building technology for veterinary medicine. We believe that a successful veterinary technology industry should be judged not only by commercial growth or the adoption of new products, but by its contribution to veterinary practice and animal health.

Our members develop different technologies for different purposes. Some directly influence clinical decisions. Others manage information, improve communication or support the operation of veterinary businesses. All have a role in how veterinary care is delivered.

The VTA brings companies together on issues where collaboration can benefit the wider profession. We work with veterinary professionals, practices, researchers and other organisations to promote responsible innovation and address problems that no individual supplier can solve alone.

Our mission rests on three principles.

Principle 1: Respect for veterinary professionals

Technology should work for veterinary professionals, not the other way around.

Veterinary surgeons, nurses, technicians and practice teams bring professional knowledge, experience and judgement to their work. Technology should respect that expertise and support their ability to care for patients.

This means:

Protecting clinical judgement. Technology, including AI, should support informed decisions. Clinical responsibility must remain clear, and professionals must be able to understand when and how a system influences their work.

Designing around real workflows. Suppliers should understand how veterinary teams work before deciding how a product should work. Technology that introduces unnecessary steps, duplicate records or avoidable administration is not automatically an improvement.

Giving professionals a voice. Veterinary teams should participate in product development, testing and evaluation. Their experience should help determine which problems are worth solving.

Being honest about capabilities. Suppliers should explain what their products can do, what they cannot do and the evidence supporting their claims.

Respect for veterinary professionals is demonstrated through products and conduct, not just statements of support for the profession.

Principle 2: Better animal health outcomes

The value of veterinary technology should ultimately be connected to the quality of care animals receive.

Many veterinary technologies promise greater efficiency, faster administration or improved commercial performance. These may be legitimate benefits, particularly when they free veterinary professionals to spend more time caring for patients.

But operational efficiency and clinical improvement are not the same thing.

This means:

Putting patient safety first. Technology used in diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or clinical decision-making should be evaluated according to the risks of its intended use.

Improving continuity of care. Clinical history, investigations, treatment records and other relevant information should be available to authorised professionals when needed.

Measuring meaningful outcomes. Claims about clinical benefits should be supported by evidence appropriate to the product and the claim. Where clinical outcomes cannot reasonably be measured, suppliers should be clear about what has actually been demonstrated.

Supporting veterinary research. Responsible data sharing, common standards and collaboration between technology companies and researchers can improve veterinary knowledge and care.

Not every product will directly improve a clinical outcome. But the industry should understand how its products affect patient care, including where the effects are indirect.

Principle 3: Better access to appropriate veterinary care

Technology should help animals receive the care they need, when they need it, from suitably qualified professionals.

Access is not simply a matter of making appointments easier to book. Animal owners need reliable information, clear communication and the ability to make informed decisions about their animals' care.

This means:

Making veterinary services easier to understand. Owners should be able to find suitable services and understand the options available to them.

Supporting informed decisions. Clear information about treatment, costs, referrals and follow-up helps animal owners make decisions with their veterinary teams.

Reducing unnecessary barriers. Better communication, scheduling, record exchange and administrative systems can reduce friction for practices and their clients.

Connecting care. Referrals, transfers and ongoing treatment should not be made unnecessarily difficult by incompatible systems or inaccessible information.

Maintaining appropriate clinical standards. Easier access must not become a justification for unsuitable treatment, misleading advice or bypassing professional responsibility.

Technology cannot solve every problem affecting access to veterinary care. But it can remove barriers, improve communication and help professionals use their available capacity effectively.

Better tools for veterinary professionals. Better outcomes for animals. Better access to care.

These principles guide the issues the VTA brings forward for discussion, the standards it considers and the positions it develops with members.