Chapter 141
2017 -- H 5470
Enacted 07/05/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE

Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Bennett, Shanley, Cunha, and Filippi
Date Introduced: February 15, 2017

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 dDepartment of aAgriculture, pPublic hHealth sService,
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 that 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.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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