Alaska Veterinary PEMF Regulatory Summary
Updated: July 2026
Regulating body: Alaska Board of Veterinary Examiners (Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing)
Status: No PEMF-specific statute. The Board takes a conservative position: only licensed veterinarians may treat animals, and lay bodywork is tolerated only for wellness purposes, not to diagnose or treat illness or injury.
Controlling Statutes:
A.S.= Alaska Statute
- AS 08.98.120 (license required; prohibitions). A person may not practice veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry unless licensed.
- AS 08.98.250 (definitions). (6) “practice of veterinary medicine”(A) means for compensation to
(i) diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve, or prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental condition, including the prescription or administration of a drug, biologic apparatus, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance;
(ii) use a manual or mechanical procedure for testing for pregnancy or correcting sterility or infertility; or
(iii) render advice or recommendation with regard to any matter listed in (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph;
(B) means to represent, directly or indirectly, publicly or privately, an ability or willingness to do any act in (A) of this paragraph for compensation;
(C) means to use a description, title, abbreviation, or letters in a manner or under circumstances tending to induce the belief that the person using it or them is qualified or licensed to do any act in (A) of this paragraph whether or not for compensation;
(D) does not include, whether or not for compensation,
(i) practices related to artificial insemination and the use of a title, abbreviation, or letters in a manner which induces the belief that the person using them is qualified to perform artificial insemination;
(ii) the practices of a farrier done in the performance of the farrier’s profession;
(iii) standard practices commonly performed on farm or domestic animals in the course of routine farming or animal husbandry, when performed by an owner or the owner’s employee unless ownership of the animal is transferred for the purpose of avoiding application of this chapter or the primary purpose of hiring the employee is to avoid application of this chapter;
- AS 08.98.120(d) (consultation pathway). A person licensed under another Alaska license who performs acts within the practice of veterinary medicine when consulted by an Alaska veterinarian is not in violation, provided they do not hold themselves out as a veterinarian; the veterinarian remains legally responsible for the animal’s care.
- 12 AAC 68 (outlines the standards of practice).
When PEMF likely falls outside veterinary medicine
General comfort/wellness on healthy animals, explicitly not aimed at diagnosing or treating any illness or injury (the Board’s stated tolerance for bodywork).
Caution: The Board is notably firm that treatment is for licensed veterinarians only. Any therapeutic framing of PEMF is likely to be treated as the practice of veterinary medicine.
When PEMF likely is veterinary medicine
Any use to treat or relieve a medical condition, injury, or disease.
Exceptions / non-vet workaround
No lay therapy exemption. The realistic route for therapeutic work is the consultation pathway (AS 08.98.120(d)) for someone holding another Alaska professional license, acting on a veterinarian’s consultation with the vet retaining responsibility.
Link to Alaska Statutes and Regulations: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofVeterinaryExaminers/StatutesRegulations.aspx
