2017 -- S 0559

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LC001339

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, P Fogarty, Sheehan, Archambault, and Felag

     Date Introduced: March 15, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     (Dept. of Environmental Management)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-25-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-25 entitled "Veterinary

Practice" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-25-7. Practice of veterinary medicine defined.

     (a) Any person shall be regarded as practicing veterinary medicine, surgery and dentistry

within the meaning of this chapter who, either directly or indirectly, when he or she does any of

the following:

     (1) Represents himself or herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine,

veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry in any of its branches.

     (2) Diagnoses, prognoses, treats, administers, prescribes, operates on, manipulates or

applies any drug, biologic, or chemical or any apparatus or appliance for any disease, pain,

deformity, defect, injury, wound, or physical condition of any animal for the prevention of or to

test the presence of any disease.

     (3) Cuts any tissue, muscle, organ, or structure of any animal for the purposes described

in subdivision (2) of this subsection or purpose or for the purpose of altering the natural condition

of any animal or for any other purpose, cause or reason.

     (b) The term "practicing veterinary medicine" does not include:

     (1) The calling into the state for consultation of duly licensed or registered veterinarians

of any other state as to any case under treatment by a veterinarian registered under the provisions

of this chapter.

     (2) The experimentation or research of a registered physician, dentist or osteopath.

     (3) The experimentation and research activities conducted at any hospital, laboratory, or

educational institution provided the activities have been approved and authorized by the division

within the period of one year prior to the commencement of each separate project or activity or

are conducted under the general supervision and control of a registered veterinarian, physician,

dentist, or osteopath.

     (4) The gratuitous giving of aid or relief to an animal in any accident or emergency;

provided, the person giving the aid or relief does not represent himself or herself as a registered

veterinarian.

     (5) The nursing care to animals in the establishment or facilities of a registered

veterinarian under his or her general supervision, direction and control by the employees of the

veterinarian or the activities of a person assisting a veterinarian during the course of any

procedure or treatment.

     (6) A person who is a regular student in a legally chartered college or school of veterinary

medicine while in the performance of the duties and activities assigned by his or her instructors

and provided there is a licensed veterinarian to supervise those acts.

     (7) A person who is a member of the armed forces of the United States or who is an

employee or official of the United States department of agriculture, public health service, or other

federal agency or of the state, who while so commissioned or employed, performs official duties.

     (8) A person who conducts routine authorized by the Rhode Island state or federal animal

health official to conduct vaccinations, pullorum or testing and typhoid testing of poultry and

other poultry of animals for the purpose of disease control activity under the supervision of an

official state or federal agency or department of agriculture that authorizing official.

     (9) A person who advises with respect to or performs acts which are livestock

management and animal husbandry practices that have been accepted and performed as defined in

the duly promulgated rules and regulations governing livestock welfare. Prescription drugs shall

not be used except by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian, as provided by state and federal

law.

     (c) Upon the determination by the attending zoo veterinarian that there is no available

licensed Rhode Island veterinarian with specialized skills to provide the necessary treatment,

assistance can be sought from a licensed human medical practitioner to provide treatment to an

animal that is part of the zoological collection. The licensed veterinarian shall maintain

responsibility for the veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE

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     This act would remove certain restrictions on who can perform routine husbandry

procedures on livestock and would allow a licensed human medical practitioner to assist a

licensed veterinarian.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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