§ 90-181.  Definitions.

When used in this Article these words and phrases shall be defined as follows:

(1) Accredited school of veterinary medicine. - Any veterinary college or division of a university or college that offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine or its equivalent and that conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

(2) Animal. - Any animal, mammal other than man and includes birds, fish, and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead.

(2a) Animal dentistry. - The treatment, extraction, cleaning, adjustment, or "floating" (filing or smoothing) of an animal's teeth, and treatment of an animal's gums.

(3) Board. - The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board.

(3a) Cruelty to animals. - To willfully overdrive, overload, wound, injure, torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill any animal, or cause or procure any of these acts to be done to an animal; provided, that the words "torture," "torment," or "cruelty" include every act, omission, or neglect causing or permitting unjustifiable physical pain, suffering, or death.

(3b) Impairment. - An individual's inability to practice veterinary medicine; the inability to assist in the delivery of veterinary services as a registered veterinary technician, or the inability to perform acts, tasks, and functions with reasonable skill and safety; and in a manner not harmful to the public or to animals, by reason of physical or mental illness or condition, or use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other type of substance or material.

(4) Limited veterinary license or limited license. - A license issued by the Board under authority of this Article that specifically, by its terms, restricts the scope or areas of practice of veterinary medicine by the holder of the limited license; provided, that no limited license shall confer or denote an area of specialty of the holder of this limited veterinary license; and provided further, that unless otherwise provided by Board rule, the licensing requirements shall be identical to those specified for a veterinary license.

(5) Person. - Any individual, firm, entity, partnership, association, joint venture, cooperative or corporation, or any other group or combination acting in concert; and whether or not acting as a principal, trustee, fiduciary, receiver, or as any kind of legal or personal representative, or as the successor in interest, assignee, agent, factor, servant, employee, director, officer, or any other representative of such person.

(6) Practice of veterinary medicine. - Any of the following:

a. To diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve, or prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental conditions; including the prescription or administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, application, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or technique on any animal.

b. To represent, directly or indirectly, publicly or privately, an ability and willingness to do any act described in sub-subdivision a. of this subdivision.

c. To use any title, words, abbreviation, or letters in a manner or under circumstances which induce the belief that the person using them is qualified to do any act described in sub-subdivision a. of this subdivision.

(6a) Staff. - Any person performing duties under the direction and supervision of a veterinarian.

(7) Veterinarian. - A person who has received a doctor's degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited school of veterinary medicine and who is licensed by the Board to practice veterinary medicine.

(7a) Veterinarian-client-patient relationship. - Includes all of the following:

a. The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the animal and the need for medical treatment, and the client (owner or other caretaker) has agreed to follow the instruction of the veterinarian.

b. There is sufficient knowledge of the animal by the veterinarian to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal. This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal by virtue of an examination of the animal, or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept.

c. The practicing veterinarian is readily available or provides for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy.

(7b) Veterinary consulting. - When any person, whose expertise the veterinarian believes would benefit the veterinarian's patient, provides advice by any means of communication to a veterinarian at the veterinarian's direction or request. Veterinary consulting does not constitute the practice of veterinary medicine by that act alone.

(7c) Veterinary license or license. - A license to practice veterinary medicine issued by the Board.

(8) Veterinary medicine. - Includes veterinary surgery, obstetrics, dentistry, and all other branches or specialties of veterinary medicine.

(9) Veterinary student intern - A person who is enrolled in an accredited veterinary college, has satisfactorily completed the second year of veterinary college education, and is registered with the Board as a veterinary student intern.

(10) Repealed by Session Laws 2022-67, s. 1, effective October 1, 2022.

(11) Veterinary technician. - Either of the following persons:

a. A person who has successfully completed a post-high school course in the care and treatment of animals that conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and who is registered with the Board as a veterinary technician.

b. A person who holds a degree in veterinary medicine from a college of veterinary medicine recognized by the Board for licensure of veterinarians and who is registered with the Board as a veterinary technician. (1961, c. 353, s. 2; 1973, c. 1106, s. 1; 1993, c. 500, s. 1; 2019-170, ss. 1(a), 3; 2022-67, s. 1.)