TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 21

VETERINARIANS

54-2104.  License a prerequisite to practice — Exceptions. (1) No person may practice veterinary medicine in the state who is not an actively licensed veterinarian or the holder of a valid temporary permit issued by the board.

(2)  This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit:

(a)  A veterinarian employed by the federal, state or local government from performing official duties specifically required under any lawful act or statute, except that this exemption shall not apply to such persons not actively engaged in performing or fulfilling their official duties and responsibilities.

(b)  A person who is a regular student currently enrolled and in good standing in an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department or an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education from performing duties or actions assigned by the student’s instructors or from working under the direct supervision of an actively licensed veterinarian during a school vacation period. The unsupervised or unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine by a student, even though on the premises of an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department, an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education or at a veterinary medical facility, is prohibited.

(c)  A person who is a regular student currently enrolled and in good standing in a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution and who holds a valid certificate of registration issued by the Idaho state board of education from performing duties or actions assigned by the student’s instructors. This exemption does not include surgery or the administration of controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs, unless specifically allowed by state or federal law, rule or regulation. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine by a student on the premises of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution is prohibited.

(d)  Idaho extension personnel from performing their official duties.

(e)  A veterinarian holding a current, active license in good standing in another state from consulting with a licensed veterinarian in this state.

(f)  Any merchant or manufacturer from selling nonprescription and noncontrolled medicines, biologics, feed, medicated feed, appliances or other products for the prevention or treatment of animal and poultry diseases. Such merchants or manufacturers shall not, either directly or indirectly, attempt to diagnose a symptom or disease in order to advise treatment, the use of drugs, medicines, appliances or products.

(g)  A farmer, rancher or feedlot operator, including custom ranch or feedlot operators, and their regular employees from caring for and treating animals within their possession or control when such animals have been consigned by their legal owner and except where the ownership or possession of the animal was transferred or the employment changed to circumvent this chapter.

(h)  The owner of an animal or the owner’s regular employees from caring for and treating the animals belonging to such owner, or livestock owners or regular employees from pregnancy testing their own or employer’s cattle or the exchange of services for which no monetary compensation is paid between owners or their regular employees, except where the ownership or possession of the animal was transferred or the employment changed to circumvent this chapter, and provided that only an actively licensed veterinarian may immunize or treat an animal for diseases that require the use of a vaccine restricted by state or federal law, rules or regulations, or as otherwise provided by board rule. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, a veterinarian/client/patient relationship, as defined by the rules of the board, must exist when controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs are administered, distributed, dispensed or prescribed.

(i)  A member of a faculty of an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, a veterinary science department, or an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education from performing the faculty member’s regular functions. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine, by a faculty member on the premises of any such institutions, is prohibited.

(j)  Any person from selling or applying any pesticide, insecticide, or herbicide.

(k)  A person from lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations at an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department or an educational institution accredited or approved by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education or in connection with an approved continuing education course or seminar.

(l)  A member of a faculty of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution who holds a valid certificate of registration issued by the Idaho state board of education from performing the faculty member’s regular functions. This exemption does not include surgery or the administration of controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs, unless specifically allowed by state or federal law, rule or regulation. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine by a faculty member on the premises of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution is prohibited.

(m)  Individuals employed as instructors or researchers by, or enrolled as students in, any bona fide medical research institution from conducting experiments and scientific research on animals:

(i)   In the development of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, or serums for treating human or animal ailments; or

(ii)  In the development of methods of treatment or techniques for the diagnosis or treatment of human or animal ailments; or

(iii) When engaged in the study and development of methods and techniques directly or indirectly applicable to the practice of veterinary medicine, as long as such research is conducted in compliance with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.

(n)  Any person from performing artificial insemination of domestic animals as governed by chapter 8, title 25, Idaho Code.

(o)  Any person from horseshoeing or hoof-trimming bovine, equine and farm animals.

(p)  An allied health professional actively licensed and in good standing in any state from participating in a medical procedure involving an animal, provided that such participation is in the health professional’s licensed field of medicine and under the indirect supervision of an actively licensed veterinarian.

(q)  Any person from the gratuitous treatment of animals in an emergency as a neighborly act.

(r)  Any state or federal livestock inspector from performing the official duties specifically required under any lawful act or statute, provided that this exemption shall not apply to such persons not actively engaged in performing or fulfilling their official duties and responsibilities.

(s)  A certified euthanasia agency from operating as a CEA as defined by law and rules.

(t)  A certified euthanasia technician from performing those duties as defined by law and rules.

(u)  Any person from utilizing cotton swabs, gauze, dental floss, dentifrice or toothbrushes to clean an animal’s teeth.

(v)  A certified veterinary technician from practicing veterinary technology under appropriate supervision, as defined by the rules of the board.

(w)  An assistant or veterinary technician from performing acts pertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine under appropriate supervision, as defined by the rules of the board.

(x)  The personal representative, executor or sole surviving heir of a licensed veterinarian from continuing to operate the veterinary medical practice of the deceased for a period of not more than three (3) years following death. This exception applies only where during such three (3) year period:

(i)   Good faith efforts are being made to sell the veterinary medical practice; and

(ii)  All the decisions pertaining to the diagnosis, care and treatment of the patients are made by an actively licensed veterinarian.

(y)  A veterinarian with an active license in good standing from another state from practicing veterinary medicine on animals in the collection of a publicly owned zoo that is either licensed by the United States department of agriculture (USDA) as an exhibitor or is accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums (AZA), but only when the Idaho licensed veterinarian who regularly attends to these animals is unavailable or unqualified to render the services required. This exemption from licensure applies only after the out-of-state veterinarian notifies the board in writing: (1) of the location of practice in Idaho; and (2) the expected duration of the practice. After the out-of-state veterinarian completes the services under this section, the veterinarian must so notify the board in writing of that fact. Unless expressly extended by the board in its sound discretion, an exemption under this section is limited to a period of one (1) year from the initial notification date.

(3)  Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the board’s authority to provide other exemptions or exceptions to the requirements for licensing, under its rulemaking authority, as the board may find necessary or appropriate.

History:

[54-2104, added 1971, ch. 173, sec. 4, p. 812; am. 1983, ch. 139, sec. 4, p. 338; am. 1990, ch. 111, sec. 3, p. 225; am. 1993, ch. 72, sec. 2, p. 190; am. 1995, ch. 62, sec. 2, p. 148; am. 2000, ch. 122, sec. 2, p. 275; am. 2001, ch. 149, sec. 2, p. 531; am. 2008, ch. 135, sec. 1, p. 378; am. 2010, ch. 105, sec. 2, p. 212; am. 2011, ch. 80, sec. 1, p. 169; am. 2021, ch. 40, sec. 2, p. 97.]