Sorry for the delay - we've had phone trouble all weekend...
 
>From:    MC <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Veterinary Practices
>In most states, one can administer to their own livestock with no
>penalties.  It is when one starts to administer to livestock other than
>their own that state laws are violated.
 
We are one of those shelter/breeder/owners that do most of our own work.
We do run a farm though it is not at all our primary source of income.
We do all of our own vaccinations of all our animals except the rabies
shots.  This is a normal part of farm work.
 
But we do not put ourselves in the position of treating the animals of
another.  Since there has never been any problem in all of the vaccinations
of our own animals we are quite sure that the chances of a problem with
those of another are slim - but it is a crime.
 
>There are gray areas, of course.  If I run a ferret shelter, I AM
>permitted to treat my own ferrets or ferrets under my direct supervision,
>ie: give rabies and distemper shots.  If I out-shelter a fuzzy to say, my
>neighbor, is that animal still considered 'under my supervision' so that
>I might still continue with a vaccination program?
 
Like it or not, it is an ownership issue.  If the shelter owns the ferret,
the shelter may administer those services permitted.  Whether we like it or
not that actually includes rather surgical things.  Back to the farm thing,
it is certainly permitted for us to geld our own goats.  We choose not to
but only because we can afford to let our farm be less profitable because
of the serious outside income.
 
>From:    steve austin <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: giving vaccines
>If so, maybe the fact that I have given my dogs their vaccines- at a cost
>of $4 per shot, instead of $45 the vet charges- is also not legal.
 
If it's your dog, it's legal.  At least in most cases.  In Virginia the
rabies thing is vet only but all other shots can be owner administered.
 
In Virginia the section of code dealing with this issue is
  Sec 54.1-3800. Practice of veterinary medicine.
 
It is amazing how close this section is to the one in Colorado.  Close
enough that in another context it would be consider plagiarism...
 
BUT...
 
The next section is
  Sec 54.1-3801. Exceptions.
 
  This chapter shall not apply to (i) the owner of an animal and the
  owner's full-time, regular employee caring for and treating the
  animal belonging to such owner, except where the ownership of the
  animal was transferred for the purpose of circumventing the requirements
  of this chapter, or (ii) to veterinarians licensed in other states
  called in actual consultation or to attend a case in this Commonwealth
  who do not open an office or appoint a place to practice within this
  Commonwealth, or (iii) to veterinarians employed by the United States
  or by this Commonwealth while actually engaged in the performance of
  their official duties.
 
So MC's stated exceptions exactly.  AND veterinarians from other states
on a consult basis.  AND Federal or State employed but non-licensed
veterinarians.  With the near identical nature of the definition it
would be expected that a near identical exception section exists as well.
There is a knack to reading laws.  Entire chapters need to be read.
 
In other words, in Virginia a shelter operator should NOT give shots to
critters not owned by the shelter.  Each instance is a class 1 misdemeanor.
That would be a possible year in jail and/or $2,500 per shot.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3165]