Noncompetes in veterinary medicine: Veterinarian describes how restrictions can strain careers

Noncompete agreements are pervasive in veterinary medicine, causing tremendous hardships on veterinarians, their families, their patients, and the people who care for them, according to a veterinarian who spoke during a recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) webinar.

CJ Caniglia, DVM, DACVS-LA, is a veterinarian and large-animal surgeon from Maryland who spoke on January 27, 2026, as part of a 4-member panel on noncompete agreements hosted by the FTC, titled “Moving Forward: Protecting Workers From Anticompetitive Noncompete Agreements.”1

Caniglia explained how his job situation forced him to choose between ethical practice and providing for his family. “Eventually, the struggle became too much, so I was forced to leave,” he said.

During the event, he described distance requirements that hindered emergency care, additional noncompetes needed to work as relief for understaffed veterinary practices, plus clauses that allow noncompetes to transfer between employers. He said he drives 2 hours one way to work at a facility outside the noncompete radius.1

Noncompete agreements are contract clauses that restrict where a worker can take a new job or whether they can start a competing business for a set period of time and within a defined geography after leaving an employer. Supporters argue they protect investments in training and confidential business information, whereas critics say they can trap workers in bad jobs, suppress wages, and limit access to services, including veterinary care.

Noncompete rules vary widely by state, creating a patchwork that can dramatically change what employers can require and what workers can realistically do when they want to change jobs. The FTC voted in April 2024 to enact a nationwide rule banning most noncompetes, but the rule quickly became mired in court challenges. The rule was vacated by the FTC in October 2025.2

Noncompete agreements remain a common feature of veterinary employment contracts, even as legal and political efforts to restrict them have intensified in recent years. A January 2023 poll of Veterinary Information Network members found that 69% reported their practice had noncompete agreements.3

Former FTC Chair Lina Khan, who pushed for the now-vacated ban, stated during the 2024 American Veterinary Medical Association Veterinary Business and Economic Forum that veterinarians were some of the most active professionals who submitted comments during the rule-making process.2

“I was struck by the extent to which we heard from veterinarians—hundreds of people sharing stories about how noncompetes had buried them in expensive litigation, cost them job opportunities with better wages and conditions, and even forced people to uproot their families or commute hours away,” she said.2

"These agreements typically restrict employee veterinarians from working for a competitor or starting their own competing business for a specified period after leaving their current employer,” Karen Whala, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, cofounder of CodaPet, said in an April 2024 interview with dvm360. “For veterinary professionals, these restrictions often limited their ability to seek new job opportunities or advance their careers without facing legal consequences.”4

For his part, Caniglia worked with a Maryland legislator to change Maryland law to prohibit noncompetes for veterinary and medical professionals. He said he still ended up getting sued for alleged noncompete violations before the law was changed.1

“I can only hope that my story is a message to all veterinarians out there to never sign a noncompete,” Caniglia said. “The irony in this is that with a tremendous shortage of large-animal veterinarians, there are literally not enough doctors to see all the patients. There is no competition.”1

References

1. Payerchin R. Health care employers with noncompetes: ‘they have physicians over a barrel.’ Medical Economics. January 27, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/health-care-employers-with-noncompetes-they-have-physicians-over-a-barrel-
2. McCafferty C. Federal Trade Commission vacates noncompete rule. dvm360. October 1, 2025. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/federal-trade-commission-vacates-noncompete-rule
3. Wogan L. Noncompetes are contentious in veterinary practice. VIN News Service. February 27, 2023. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=11394052&utm_source=chatgpt.com&f5=1
4. McCafferty C. FTC bans noncompete agreements in the veterinary profession. dvm360. April 26, 2024. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/ftc-bans-noncompete-agreements-used-by-some-veterinary-employers