Legislative Regulations

Veterinary Profession Act, RSA 2000, c V-2

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
2(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, no person except a registered veterinarian or permit holder shall engage in the practice of veterinary medicine.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
1(p) “veterinary medicine” means a medical service performed with respect to an animal and includes the following:

1. surgery;
2. obstetrics and ova and embryo collection;
3. prescribing, compounding, dispensing and selling drugs.

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the following:

1. a technologist practising under the direction or control of an unrestricted veterinarian and in accordance with the regulations;
2. a person who is engaged in trimming hooves, shoeing and applying or using corrective procedures or devices specifically for gait and stance modifications in animals;
3. a person or the person’s employee who is engaged in the treatment of the person’s animals or animals of the person’s employer;
4. a person who is engaged in the examination or preventive or therapeutic treatment of farm animals using non surgical procedures in return for the performance of similar services by the owner of the animals;
5. a person or the person’s employee who is engaged in the treatment of farm animals that the person rents or leases from or custom feeds for the owner of the animals, if the owner consents;
6. a person who is engaged in dehorning cattle, sheep or goats, in docking pigs, sheep or horses or in castrating cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses or any other animal prescribed in the regulations made under section 3;
7. a person who is using an animal in research at a university, if there search is carried out using acceptable veterinary procedures and the use of the animal has been approved by an appropriate animal care committee of which at least one member is a registered veterinarian;
8. a person who gives assistance in a time of urgent need, if the assistance is given without hire, gain or hope of reward;
9. the carrying out of the practice of a profession or occupation under the authority of any other enactment.

The Veterinarians Act, 1987, S.S. 1986-87-88, c. V-5.1

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
17(1) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, no person other than a member shall engage, with or without hope of reward, in the practice of veterinary medicine.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
1(l)“veterinary medicine” means that branch of knowledge relating to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of and injuries to animals, and includes:

1. diagnosing, advising or prescribing a drug, medical appliance or application or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention or treatment of a bodily injury or disease of animals;
2. administering a drug, medicine, appliance or other application or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention or treatment of bodily injury or disease of animals except where the drug, medicine, appliance or application or treatment is administered by some other person at the direction and under the direct supervision of a member;
3. performing a surgical operation on an animal;
4. the management of estrus synchronization, super ovulation and the collection, evaluation and processing of embryos;
5. performing any manual procedures for the diagnosis of pregnancy, sterility or infertility on animals;
6. certifying the cause of death of an animal

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
17(2) Subsection(1) does not apply to:

1. the furnishing without remuneration of first aid to an animal in an emergency;
2. the administration of medication to an animal:
   1. by its owner, lessee or bailee;
   2. with the consent of the owner, lessee or bailee ; or
   3. by the agent, an employee or a member of the household of the owner, lessee or bailee;
3. caponizing and the taking of poultry blood samples;
4. the study, prevention and treatment of fish diseases;
5. the technical performance of artificial insemination;
6. the non-surgical implantation of an embryo or embryos;
7. the castration of horses, goats, calves, pigs and lambs, the dehorning of cattle, the docking of lambs and pigs, ear notching and hoof trimming;
8. a person who is using an animal in research at a university, if the research is carried out using acceptable veterinary procedures and the use of the animal has been approved by an appropriate animal care committee of which at least one member is a registered veterinarian.

Veterinary Medical Act, S.M. 1999, c. 32, s. 3

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
3(1) Exclusive right to practise veterinary medicine: No person other than a licensed member shall engage in the practice of veterinary medicine.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
2(1) The practice of veterinary medicine means the branch of knowledge that relates to maintaining the health of animals and to preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases of and injuries to animals. Included practices
2(2) Without restricting the generality of subsection (1), a person who does any of the following engages in the practice of veterinary medicine within the meaning of this Act:

1. prescribes or dispenses a drug, veterinary biologic, medicine, appliance or treatment of whatever nature for an animal;
2. administers a drug, veterinary biologic, medicine, appliance or treatment of whatever nature to an animal;
3. performs a surgical operation on an animal;
4. performs any procedure for the diagnosis of pregnancy, sterility or infertility on an animal;
5. engages in the practice of obstetrics or ova collection or embryo transfer for animals;
6. engages in the practice of veterinary dentistry;
7. certifies the cause of death of an animal.

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
3(2) Exemptions
Subsection(1) does not apply to prevent a person from

1. providing first aid to an animal in an emergency without remuneration;
2. administering a drug, veterinary biologic, medicine, appliance or treatment of any kind to an animal if the person is
   1. the owner of the animal or an employee of the owner,
   2. a veterinary student or an animal health technologist acting in accordance with the by-laws, or
   3. a person or a member of a class of persons specified in the by-laws while acting under the supervision of a member;
3. caponizing and taking poultry blood samples for research.
4. engaging in the study, prevention or treatment of fish diseases;
5. the technical performance of artificial insemination;
6. before weaning age, castrating male calves, piglets and lambs, dehorning cattle and docking lambs;
7. trimming hooves of animals;
8. engaging in an activity that is authorized in a regulation under The Livestock Industry Diversification Act, if he or she has received training in the activity as required by that regulation; or
9. using an animal for a research purpose if the research is carried out using acceptable veterinary procedures and the use of the animal has been approved by an appropriate research institute whose operation is consistent with current national standards of practice

Veterinarians Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. V.3

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
11(1) License Required No person shall engage in the practice of veterinary medicine or hold himself, herself or itself out as engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine unless the person is the holder of a licence.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
“Veterinary Medicine” means the practice of medicine, surgery, and dentistry on animals, and includes the examining, diagnosing, prescribing, manipulating and treating for the prevention, alleviation or correction of a disease, injury, condition, deformity, defect, or lesion in an animal with or without the use of any instrument, appliance, drug, or biologics.

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
11(2) Exceptions Subsection(1) does not apply to prevent a person,

1. from rendering first aid or temporary assistance in an emergency without fee;
2. from treating an animal if the person is the owner of the animal, is a member of the household of the owner of the animal or is employed for general agricultural or domestic work by the owner of the animal;
3. from taking blood samples;
4. from preventing or treating fish and invertebrate diseases;
5. from collecting or using semen for the purposes of a business that engages in the artificial insemination of livestock;
6. from collecting or transporting ova and embryos of animals other than mammals.

Veterinary Surgeons Act, RSQ, c M-8

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
32. Subject to the rights and privileges expressly granted bylaw to other professionals, no person may perform an act described insection7 unless he is a veterinary surgeon

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
7. Every act the object of which is to give veterinary advice, to make a pathological examination of an animal, make a veterinary diagnosis, to prescribe medications for animals, to practice a surgical operation on an animal, to treat a medical or surgical veterinary disorder by using a mechanical, physical, chemical, biological or radiotherapy process, or to approve or condemn ex officio the meat of domestic animals for consumption, constitutes the
practice of veterinary medicine.

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
The first paragraph of section 32 does not apply to acts performed

1. by a person belonging to a class of persons contemplated in a regulation adopted pursuant to subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph of section 6.1, provided he performs them under the conditions prescribed in the regulation;
2. by a person in accordance with the provisions of a regulation adopted pursuant to paragraph h of section 94 of the Professional Code (chapter C-26);
3. in the course of studying veterinary medicine;
4. in the course of scientific research.

Veterinary Medical Act, SNL 2004 CHAPTER V-4.1

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
30(1) A person shall not engage in or practise veterinary medicine unless he or she holds a veterinary licence.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
2. In this Act (j) “veterinary medicine” means veterinary medicine, surgery, pathology and dentistry and includes

1. the diagnosing, prescribing, treating, manipulating and operating for the prevention, alleviation or correction of a disease, injury, pain or other similar condition in or of an animal,
2. the giving of advice in respect of anything mentioned in this paragraph with a view to obtaining a fee or other remuneration, and
3. the performance of procedures and use of equipment as may be prescribed in regulations made under section 48.

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2(j) or section 24 or 30, a person not authorized under this Act may carry out the following activities:

1. the administration of first aid or temporary assistance to an animal in an emergency without expectation of remuneration;
2. the treatment of an animal by its owner, by a member of the owner’s household, or by his or her agent who is regularly employed in agricultural work in accordance with regulations made by the board under section 48;
3. the performance of procedures on an animal under the supervision, and at the direction, of a person licensed under section 20, 21 or 23 in accordance with regulations made by the board under section 48;
4. the use of an animal in research using acceptable veterinary procedures where the use of the animal has been approved by an animal care committee acting in accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care; and
5. the performance of procedures on an animal by an employee of the Crown in a classification designated by the board in accordance with rules established by the board.

An Act Respecting The New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association, 1990, c. 70, is a “Private Act” and neither the legislature nor the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association has replied to our request for a copy of the Act.

Veterinary Profession Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. V-3

WHO MAY “PRACTICE” VETERINARY MEDICINE?
16. Prohibition to non-members No person other than a member of the Association in good standing shall

1. practice or pretend to practice veterinary medicine;
2. hold himself out as a veterinary, veterinary surgeon or veterinarian or a person entitled to practice veterinary medicine;
3. use or assume the title, addition, or description of veterinary, veterinarian, or veterinary surgeon, or any abbreviation thereof.

WHAT CONSTITUTES VETERINARY MEDICINE?
1. Definition In this Act (h) “veterinary medicine” means any service usually performed by a veterinarian including:

1. the application of surgery or medicine to animals,
2. embryo and ova collection, the diagnosis or treatment of, and the prescribing, treating, manipulating, or operation for the prevention, alleviation, or correction of any disease, injury, pain, deficiency, deformity, defect, lesion, disorder, or physical condition of animals, with or without the use of instruments, appliances, medicine, drugs, preparations or an esthetics,
3. the giving of advice in respect to any of the matters mentioned in sub clauses (i) and (ii) with the view to obtaining a fee or salary;

WHAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VETERINARY MEDICINE?
2. Nothing in this Act applies to or affects

1. the furnishing of first aid or temporary assistance to an animal in an emergency;
2. the treatment of an animal by its owner, by a member of his household, or by a person regularly employed by him in an agricultural or domestic work;
3. the caponizing and the taking of blood samples from poultry;
4. the castration of pigs, calves and lambs;
5. the dehorning of cattle;
6. the dispensing of medicines under the Pharmacy Act R.S.P.E.I