SCHEDULES
F3C1SCHEDULE 3 Exemptions from Restrictions on Practice of Veterinary Surgery
Sch. 3 extended (N.I) by Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (c. 7), s. 14(2)
Part I Treatment and Operations which may be Given or Carried Out by Unqualified Persons
1
Any minor medical treatment given to an animal by its owner, by another member of the household of which the owner is a member or by a person in the employment of the owner.
2
F1Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) given, otherwise than for reward, to an animal used in agriculture, as defined in the Agriculture Act 1947, by the owner of the animal or by a person engaged or employed in caring for animals so used.
3
The rendering in an emergency of first aid for the purpose of saving life or relieving pain or suffering.
4
The performance by any person of or over the age of eighteen of any of the following operations, that is to say—
a
the castration of a male animal or the caponising of an animal, whether by chemical means or otherwise;
b
the docking of the tail of a lamb;
c
the docking of the tail of a dog before its eyes are open;
d
the amputation of the dew claws of a dog before its eyes are open.
5
The performance, by any person of the age of seventeen undergoing instruction in animal husbandry, of any operation mentioned in paragraph 4(a) or (b) above and the disbudding of a calf by any such person or by a person of or over the age of eighteen undergoing such instruction, if, in each case, either of the following conditions is complied with, that is to say—
a
the instruction in animal husbandry is given by a person registered in the register of veterinary surgeons or the supplementary veterinary register and the operation is performed under his direct personal supervision;
b
the instruction in animal husbandry is given at a recognised institution and the operation is performed under the direct personal supervision of a person appointed to give such instruction at the institution.
F4In this paragraph “recognised institution” means—
i
as respects Great Britain, an institution maintained or assisted (in England and Wales) by a local education authority or (in Scotland) by an education authority or in either case an institution for the giving of further education as respects which a grant is paid by the Secretary of State or an institution recognised for the purposes of this paragraph by the Secretary of State; and
ii
as respects Northern Ireland, an agricultural college maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.
F4In the foregoing paragraph “recognised institution” means—
a
as respects England and Wales—
i
an institution maintained or assisted by a local education authority;
ii
any other institution which provides higher education or further education (or both) and as respects which a grant is paid by the Secretary of State; or
iii
an institution recognised by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the foregoing paragraph;
b
as respects Scotland—
i
a further education college administered by an education authority;
ii
a central institution within the meaning of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980; or
iii
an institution recognised by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the foregoing paragraph; and
c
as respects Northern Ireland, an agricultural college maintained by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland;
and expressions used in paragraph (a) of this paragraph and in the Education Act 1944 have the same meanings as in that Act.
F56
Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to a companion animal by a veterinary nurse if the following conditions are complied with, that is to say–
a
the companion animal is, for the time being, under the care of a registered veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner and the medical treatment or minor surgery is carried out by the veterinary nurse at his direction; and
b
the registered veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner is the employer or is acting on behalf of the employer of the veterinary nurse.
In this paragraph–
“companion animal" means an animal kept as a pet or for companionship, not being a horse, pony, ass or mule, nor an animal used in agriculture, as defined in the Agriculture Act 1947;
“veterinary nurse" means a nurse whose name is entered in the list of veterinary nurses maintained by the College.
F27
Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to any animal by a student veterinary nurse if the following conditions are complied with, that is to say—
a
the animal is, for the time being, under the care of a registered veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner and the medical treatment or minor surgery is carried out by the student veterinary nurse at his direction and in the course of the student veterinary nurse’s training;
b
the treatment or surgery is supervised by a registered veterinary surgeon, veterinary practitioner or veterinary nurse and, in the case of surgery, the supervision is direct, continuous and personal; and
c
the registered veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner is the employer or is acting on behalf of the employer of the student veterinary nurse.
In this paragraph—
“student veterinary nurse" means a person enrolled under bye-laws made by the Council for the purpose of undergoing training as a veterinary nurse at an approved training and assessment centre or a veterinary practice approved by such a centre;
“approved training and assessment centre" means a centre approved by the Council for the purpose of training and assessing student veterinary nurses.
Part II Exclusions from Provisions of Part I
Nothing in section 19(4)(b) of this Act shall authorise—
a
the castration of a male animal being—
i
a horse, pony, ass or mule,
ii
a bull, boar or goat which has reached the age of two months,
iii
a ram which has reached the age of three months, or
iv
a cat or dog;
b
the spaying of a cat or dog;
c
the removal (otherwise than in an emergency for the purpose of saving life or relieving pain or suffering) of any part of the antlers of a deer before the velvet of the antlers is frayed and the greater part of it has been shed;
d
the desnooding of a turkey which has reached the age of 21 days;
e
the removal of the combs of any poultry which have reached the age of 72 hours;
f
the cutting of the toes of a domestic fowl or turkey which has reached the age of 72 hours;
g
the performance of a vasectomy or the carrying out of electro-ejaculation on any animal or bird kept for production of food, wool, skin or fur or for use in the farming of land;
h
the removal of the supernumerary teats of a calf which has reached the age of 3 months; or
i
the dehorning or disbudding of a sheep or goat, except the trimming of the insensitive tip of an ingrowing horn which, if left untreated, could cause pain or distress.
Sch. 3 substituted by S.I. 1988/526, art. 2