Are animal shelters practicing veterinary medicine?
If shelters are providing veterinary care, they are practicing veterinary medicine. The Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, Business and Professions Code, Section (hereafter B&P) 4826 defines the practice of veterinary medicine as diagnosing, prescribing, and treating of / for an animal for the prevention, cure, relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease, and includes the performance of any surgical or dental operation, and these procedures therefore fall under the jurisdiction of the Veterinary Medical Board (hereafter Board). Animal control shelters are regulated under the California Food and Agriculture Code and the California Civil and Penal codes and city, county and/or city/county animal control shelters and/or its agencies are mandated to provide “necessary and prompt veterinary medical care to animals housed in an animal control shelter” to care for adoptable animals and protect the public good. The “necessary and prompt” veterinary medical care provided within city,
