A veterinarian is a professional who has the mandate to practice veterinary medicine. As a veterinarian, you can be licensed to diagnose, treat, and prevent animal diseases. You must have studied in this field and secured the requirements or skills from a recognized learning institution to become a veterinarian. California law prohibits individuals from practicing veterinary medicine without appropriate qualifications or professional licenses. You could face charges if you practice veterinary medicine without a license.

If you face criminal charges or are accused of violating the professional codes of conduct, your professional license can be at risk. Perhaps you are unable to acquire a veterinarian license because of your criminal history. A licensed attorney can help you secure a license or fight any charges that would risk your license. Considering your time and effort in obtaining your license, you should not give up without a fight. Our skilled attorneys at the Santa Cruz License Attorney can handle any license denial, revocation, or suspension cases.

The Establishment And Constitution Of The Veterinary Licensing Board

The laws governing veterinarians and their licensing are in Business and Professional Codes 4800 to 4917. The Veterinary Medical Board was established under this law and is part of the Department of Consumer Affairs. It consists of seven members, three of whom are public.

According to Business and Professional Codes 4800 to 4917, a board member must be a graduate of a veterinary college recognized by the state. This law also requires that one stay in California for at least five years before their appointment to the board. Board members must also have a professional veterinarian license and should have practiced veterinary medicine in California for at least five years.

This law also requires public board members to be residents of California for at least five years. A public member should also not belong to any other boards or hold licenses. According to Business and Professional Codes 4800 to 4917, board members are only required to serve for a four-year term. A board member can only leave office once their replacement has been identified. Additionally, a board member can stay in office for one year upon the expiry of their term.

The governor appoints five members of the veterinary licensing board. The law requires that one of the five members must be a member of the public. The speaker and the senate are responsible for appointing the other two members. According to the law, the two members must be public members. The board is then given the power to appoint one person as an executive officer who is not a civil servant. The executive officer could carry out their duties as the appointing board directs.

Licensing Veterinarians

It is a crime under Business and Professional Code 4825 for you to practice veterinary medicine when your license is invalid, revoked, or expired. You could, however, provide emergency treatment when asked by an animal owner of their own accord. In this situation, the animal owner cannot file a complaint against you for liability if the animal sustains severe injuries or dies. He/she can only file a lawsuit against you if you exercised gross negligence.

In some situations, you do not require a license to practice veterinary medicine. Some of these situations include:

  • Administering sodium pentobarbital to help in killing homeless, unwanted, sick, or injured pets, even when the veterinarian is not around, does not require a license. However, you should be from a humane society or an animal shelter worker. You are only required to provide this service if you are trained in sodium pentobarbital administration.
  • Assessing the pregnancy status of an animal, sterility or infertility, or equine during insemination as long as you do not charge for the assessment. You must hold a professional license to charge for a veterinarian service.
  • You do not require a veterinarian practice license to conduct agglutination testing on poultry.
  • You can practice veterinary medicine on your animals. Your employees could also do this on your behalf. This exception also extends to someone else assisting you as long as he/she does the service gratuitously.

A granted license issued to a person to practice veterinary medicine and any of its branches remains valid under BPC 4825 until the date for the renewal fees. Additionally, you must adhere to every provision regarding renewing the license. Your license could be suspended or revoked, and you could face prosecution if you violate the law.

An individual who aids in the violation or violates the regulations could face misdemeanor charges. You could face a fine of between $500 and $2,000 if you are convicted of the offense. Additionally, you could face a jail term of up to 30 days and one year or either of the penalties.

According to Business and Professional Code 4846.4, a holder of a veterinarian license must register or apply biennially to renew a license on or before the final day of their birthday month. You could secure the application forms from the board overseeing the licensing of veterinarians.

The law requires you to attach a statement showing that you have never been convicted of a felony or faced disciplinary action under any public agencies in California. You are also required under the law to show that other than California, you have never faced disciplinary action from another agency in any state. You could attach a report detailing the conviction and the violation of the professional discipline taken if you cannot provide this statement.

Before the board renews your license, it will make inquiries and carry out investigations once it receives your information. The board does this to determine if imposing disciplinary action against you is necessary.

Your professional qualifications will be examined and assessed under Business and Professional Code 4848. The board could issue you a license once your qualifications are satisfactory. You could be denied the license to practice veterinary medicine if you do not meet the requirements or fail to demonstrate your competency through the exam.

The following examination could be issued to ascertain your competency:

  • An exam on the laws and regulations of the Practice Act in veterinary medicine that is board-administered
  • An exam by the State Board of California
  • A national licensing exam

Students from the University of California who have finished the course approved by the board on the ethics and law of veterinary medicine are not required to take this exam. Similarly, students from the Western University of Health Science who have finished a course approved by the board on the law of veterinary medicine and ethics are exempt.

Your licensing exam could also be waived if the licensing board discovers that you successfully took the licensure exam in another state. However, the examination from another state can only be accepted if it has the same content and scope as the one administered in California. The board can also issue you a license only if you attain a score similar to the one required in California.

The law also prohibits the board from precluding any person who has partially completed their course program from a college from doing the exam. You could be allowed to do the exam before meeting the other requirements of securing a license. Additionally, if you have the following qualifications, the board could waive the requirements for the exam and give you a license to practice:

  • You successfully finished an educational curriculum approved by the board on specific diseases and their conditions. The right curricula covering the diseases and their conditions are created under the consultations between the board and the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
  • You passed an exam administered by the board on the Practice of Veterinary Medicine Act and Regulations.
  • You are either a holder of a certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates or a veterinary college graduate approved by the board and state. The board also recognizes a certificate from the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence.
  • If you have your original license, you passed your national licensing exams in veterinary science. Additionally, if your qualification is at or better than the qualification required for a pass in the exam issued in California.
  • You hold a valid and current license with excellent ratings from another nation, Canadian province, or any other American state. The validity of your license must be three years before applying for a practicing license. Practical experience in clinical veterinary medicine for two years or more is also important. You must also have completed 2,944 hours of minimum practice. You could automatically meet the minimum required experience if you have experience working in an institution accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association as an intern or resident.

Obtaining A Temporary Veterinary License

The board could issue a temporary license, valid for a period that does not exceed one year. You could secure this type of license if you wish to offer veterinary services under the supervision or covering of a licensed veterinarian. The licensed veterinarian must have a good reputation. However, you must fulfill the following to qualify for the temporary license:

  • You must satisfy the above requirements
  • Completed a curriculum on regional illnesses and conditions as approved by the board
  • You should be free from a record of being denied a license

You must apply to have a full license after completing the course on regional illnesses and conditions. In this case, you must submit your application verifying that you completed the curriculum and the required application fees.

Upon the discretion of the board, it could decide to extend the expiry date of your temporary license for a period that does not exceed one year. The board could do this if you have health problems, undue hardships, or are in military service. You must obtain the forms from the board if you intend to apply for an extension.

The premises used must meet the qualifications required by the law for you to obtain a license to practice veterinary medicine. You must register the premises you will practice from under Business and Professional Code 4853. The board must register your premises, whether you specialize in surgery, dentistry, or other branches. According to this law, a premise could be a kennel, mobile units, vehicles, or buildings.

However, if you practice from a registered building, you do not need to register your mobile units or vehicles. The building registration is sufficient and involves a declaration of using a mobile unit or vehicle.

Sanitation is another requirement for securing a license. Under Business and Professional Code 4854, the area where you practice, instruments, apparel, and apparatus must meet certain set standards of hygiene.

The Penalties a Licensed Veterinarian Could Face

The board could suspend or revoke your registration or license under BPC 4875. However, the board must set a hearing before suspending or revoking your license. The hearing is scheduled to determine the appropriate disciplinary action.

Another potential penalty the board could impose is a fine that does not exceed $5,000 apart from the suspension. If you violate the regulations under BPC 4883, you could face this penalty. In this case, the fine could be charged rather than or together with having your license revoked.

After completing the evaluation, the executive officer could have a reason to conclude that you have violated the law under BPC 4875.2. He/she could issue you a citation when this is established. Every citation is documented in writing. The citation details the offense while including references to the crime under the law.

Find a Reliable License Attorney Near Me

Is your veterinarian license at risk? Perhaps you have just received a notice of board investigation. Many factors can trigger a board investigation, including a criminal conviction or violation of the industry code of conduct. No matter your violation, our Santa Cruz License Attorney attorneys can help. We have helped many veterinarians whose licenses were at risk and obtained favorable outcomes for their cases. It does not matter how intricate your case is. Our attorneys have what it takes to handle it. For legal representation you can count on, contact us today. Call us at 831-732-4390 to speak to one of our attorneys.