Veterinary Practice Act 2003 (NSW)

Veterinary Practice Act 2003 No 87

An Act relating to the practice of veterinary science, to repeal the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1986; and for other purposes.

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Act This Act is the Veterinary Practice Act 2003.

2 Commencement (1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation. (2) A day may not be appointed under subsection (1) that commences section 14 (5) (a) earlier than 12 months after the date of assent to this Act.

3 Object of Act The object of this Act is to regulate the provision of veterinary services for the following purposes— (a) to promote the welfare of animals, (b) to ensure that consumers of veterinary services are well informed as to the competencies required of veterinary practitioners, (c) to ensure that acceptable standards are required to be met by veterinary practitioners so as to meet the public interest and national and international trade requirements, (d) to provide public health protection.

4 Definitions (1) In this Act— advisory committee means the advisory committee established under Part 2. approved fee means the fee determined by the Board and approved by the Minister. Board means the Veterinary Practitioners Board constituted under section 76. committee means a committee established under section 81. exercise a function includes perform a duty. firm means a partnership or other unincorporated association of persons. full registration means registration granted in accordance with section 21. function includes power, duty and authority. health practitioner means a registered health practitioner within the meaning of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW). honorary registration means registration granted in accordance with section 22. inspector means a person appointed for the time being as an inspector under section 90. limited registration means registration granted in accordance with section 23. major surgery has the meaning given by section 64. premises includes land. provisional registration means registration granted in accordance with section 24. Register means the Register required to be kept under section 28. registered means registered as a veterinary practitioner under this Act. Registrar means Registrar of the Board. registration means registration as a veterinary practitioner under this Act. restricted act of veterinary science has the meaning given by section 7. specialist registration means registration granted in accordance with section 25. Tribunal means the Civil and Administrative Tribunal. veterinary hospital means premises the subject of a veterinary hospital licence. veterinary hospital licence means a licence granted under Part 6 that is in force. veterinary practice means a business that provides veterinary services. veterinary practitioner means a person who is registered under this Act as a veterinary practitioner. veterinary science includes any branch of the science or art of veterinary medicine or of veterinary surgery and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes the following— (a) the examination of or attendance on any animal for the purpose of diagnosing the physiological or pathological condition of the animal, (b) the giving of any anaesthetic to, or the performance of any operation on, any animal, (c) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), the diagnosing of pregnancy in an animal, (d) without limiting the generality of paragraph (b)— (i) the carrying out of any artificial breeding procedure involving surgery, and (ii) the de-antlering of deer, (e) the doing of any act that is prescribed by the regulations as forming part of the practice of veterinary science.