Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

Restriction of practice of veterinary surgery

19 Restriction on practice of veterinary surgery by unqualified persons

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, no individual shall practise, or hold himself out as practising or as being prepared to practise, veterinary surgery unless he is registered in the register of veterinary surgeons or the supplementary veterinary register, and an individual who acts in contravention of this subsection shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100 ;

(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in the [1952 c. 55.] Magistrates' Courts Act 1952, the [1954 c. 58.] Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act 1954 or the Summary Jurisdiction Acts (Northern Ireland), summary proceedings for an offence under this section may be commenced at any time within the period of one year from the time when the offence was committed.

(3) The Council may make regulations exempting from subsection (1) of this section the carrying out or performance of any veterinary treatment, test or operation prescribed by the regulations, subject to compliance with prescribed conditions, by students of veterinary surgery of any prescribed class.

(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not prohibit—

(a) the carrying out of any experiment duly authorised under the [1876 c. 77.] Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 ;

(b) the doing of anything specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act and not excluded by Part II of that Schedule;

(c) the performance by a registered medical practitioner of an operation on an animal for the purpose of removing an organ or tissue for use in the treatment of human beings;

(d) the carrying out or performance of any treatment, test or operation by a registered medical practitioner or a registered dentist at the request of a person registered in the register of veterinary surgeons or the supplementary veterinary register;

(e) the carrying out or performance of any minor treatment, test or operation specified in an order made by the Ministers after consultation with the Council, so long as any conditions so specified are complied with.

(5) The Ministers may, after consultation with the Council and with persons appearing to the Ministers to represent interests so appearing to be substantially affected, by order amend the provisions of Schedule 3 to this Act.

(6) Any order under subsection (4) or (5) of this section may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order of the Ministers under that subsection made after the like consultation.

20 Prohibition of use of practitioners' titles by unqualified persons

(1) If a person not registered in the register takes or uses the title of veterinary surgeon or any name, title, addition or description implying that he is so registered, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) If any person not registered in the register of veterinary surgeons or the supplementary veterinary register takes or uses the title of veterinary practitioner or any name, tide, addition or description implying that he is a practitioner of, or qualified to practise, veterinary surgery to any greater extent than is authorised by or under subsection (3) of the last foregoing section, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this section, if any person uses, in connection with any business carried on by him or at any premises at which such a business is carried on, a description implying that he or any person acting for the purposes of the business possesses veterinary qualifications which he does not in fact possess he shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100;

(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(5) Where an offence by a body corporate under this section is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(6) Subsection (2) of section 19 of this Act shall apply in relation to offences under this section as it applies in relation to offences under that section.