Standards of Practice

A veterinarian will be deemed to fall below acceptable Standards of Practice if the veterinarian is
involved in the following:

  1. An act or omission inconsistent with the Act or the Regulations.
  2. Failing to fulfill the terms of an agreement with a client.
  3. Failing to continue to provide professional services until the services are no longer required or declined by the client.
  4. Failing to provide within a reasonable time and without cause any certificate or report requested by a client or his or her agent in respect of an examination or treatment performed by the member.
  5. Making a misrepresentation to a client or prospective client.
  6. Making a claim respecting the utility of any remedy, treatment, device or procedure other than a claim which can reasonably be supported as professional opinion.
  7. Failure to inform the client of the availability of a necropsy, in the case of unexpected death, by the attending veterinarian, an associate, or an independent veterinarian.
  8. Abusing a client or patient verbally or physically or permitting or counselling someone to abuse a client or patient verbally or physically.
  9. Having a conflict of interest.
  10. Failing to make or retain the records required by the Act, the Regulations and the Code of Ethics.
  11. Falsifying a record regarding professional services.
  12. Failing to abide by a condition in a license or a certificate of accreditation.
  13. Failing to direct or supervise, or inadequately directing or supervising, staff.
  14. Permitting, counselling or assisting any person other than a member, to practice or to attempt to practice veterinary medicine.
  15. Directly or by implication representing any person to be a member who is not a member.
  16. Signing or issuing a veterinary certificate, report or similar document that contains a statement that the member knows or ought to know is false, misleading, or otherwise improper.
  17. Signing or issuing a veterinary certificate, report or similar document without ascertaining, or taking reasonable measures to determine, the accuracy of its contents.
  18. Making any statement, orally or in writing, calculated to belittle or injure the professional reputation of another veterinarian, or unnecessarily commenting adversely upon any professional act of another veterinarian.
  19. An act or omission relevant to the practice of veterinary medicine that, having regard to all of the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct.