1998 Minnesota Statutes

     156.12 Practice of veterinary medicine. 

    Subdivision 1.    Practice.  The practice of veterinary 
 medicine, as used in this chapter, shall mean the diagnosis, 
 treatment, correction, relief, or prevention of animal disease, 
 deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental 
 conditions; the performance of obstetrical procedures for 
 animals, including determination of pregnancy and correction of 
 sterility or infertility; and the rendering of advice or 
 recommendations with regard to any of the above.  The practice 
 of veterinary medicine shall include but not be limited to the 
 prescription or administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, 
 apparatus, application, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or 
 diagnostic substance or technique.  The practice shall not be 
 construed to include the dehorning of cattle and goats or the 
 castration of cattle, swine, goats, and sheep, or the docking of 
 sheep. 

    Subd. 2.    Authorized activities.  No provision of this 
 chapter shall be construed to prohibit: 

    (a) a person from rendering necessary gratuitous assistance 
 in the treatment of any animal when the assistance does not 
 amount to prescribing, testing for, or diagnosing, operating, or 
 vaccinating and when the attendance of a licensed veterinarian 
 cannot be procured; 

    (b) a person who is a regular student in an accredited or 
 approved college of veterinary medicine from performing duties 
 or actions assigned by instructors or preceptors or working 
 under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian; 

    (c) a veterinarian regularly licensed in another 
 jurisdiction from consulting with a licensed veterinarian in 
 this state; 

    (d) the owner of an animal and the owner's regular employee 
 from caring for and treating the animal belonging to the owner, 
 except where the ownership of the animal was transferred for 
 purposes of circumventing this chapter; 

    (e) veterinarians employed by the University of Minnesota 
 from performing their duties with the college of veterinary 
 medicine, college of agriculture, agricultural experiment 
 station, agricultural extension service, medical school, school 
 of public health, or other unit within the university; or a 
 person from lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations 
 at the university or in connection with a continuing education 
 course or seminar to veterinarians; 

    (f) any person from selling or applying any pesticide, 
 insecticide or herbicide; 

    (g) any person from engaging in bona fide scientific 
 research or investigations which reasonably requires 
 experimentation involving animals; 

    (h) any employee of a licensed veterinarian from performing 
 duties other than diagnosis, prescription or surgical correction 
 under the direction and supervision of the veterinarian, who 
 shall be responsible for the performance of the employee; 

    (i) a graduate of a foreign college of veterinary medicine 
 from working under the direct personal instruction, control, or 
 supervision of a veterinarian faculty member of the College of 
 Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota in order to 
 complete the requirements necessary to obtain an ECFVG 
 certificate. 

    Subd. 3.    Requirement to be engaged in practice.  Any 
 person who sells or offers to apply, any prescription drug, 
 biologic preparation, including sera, vaccines, bacterins, 
 tuberculin, mallein, johnin, or any other agent for the 
 treatment, vaccination, or testing of any animal belonging to 
 another, shall be engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine.

    Subd. 4.    Titles.  It shall be unlawful for a person 
 who has not received a professional degree from an accredited or 
 approved college of veterinary medicine to use any of the 
 following titles or designations:  Veterinary, veterinarian, 
 animal doctor, animal surgeon, animal dentist, or any other 
 title, designation, word, letter, abbreviation, sign, card, or 
 device tending to indicate that the person is qualified to 
 practice veterinary medicine. 

    Subd. 5. Repealed, 1996 c 415 s 33 

    HIST: (5851-12) 1937 c 119 s 12; 1965 c 204 s 11; 1976 c 285 s 
 11; 1984 c 427 s 1; 1985 c 228 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1996 c 415 s 
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