I am the state's only Hedgehog Rescuer and lucky to have a highly skilled and respectful exotic vet.  Dr. Stewart always informs me if a vet student is with him and asks me if it's OK if they handle one of my hedgehogs - as it may be their only chance to see one up close while in school.  While vet students wouldn't know how to treat a hedgehog without close supervision, they may feel egotistical enough to attempt unsupervised treatment of someone's cat or dog.  Other people's cats or dogs are as important to them as my rescued hedgehogs are to me and I would be highly upset to find out a student had done something to my pet without proper notification to me and without close supervision by the vet!

Veterinarians are not required to accept students in their practices – they choose to do so. That choice needs to be extended to their clients, in the form of a conversation about what they propose to permit the student to do, and how the student will be supervised.

A sign in the office saying “student working in this practice” is inadequate. The performance by a student of ANY task which ordinarily requires licensure MUST require owner consent, not just notification.