Oregon Revised Statutes
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise: “Animal medical problem” means any wound, injury, disease, discomfort, abnormality, deformity or defect of an animal. “Board” means the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. “Veterinary college, or veterinary department of a university or college, of good standing and repute” means…
Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, no person shall: Practice veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry, in this state unless the person holds a valid license issued by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board and the license is not expired, revoked or suspended at the time of practice. Affix or append any letters to the name of the pe…
A person practices veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry when the person does any of the following in this state: Diagnoses, treats or prognosticates an animal medical problem. Prescribes or administers a drug, medicine or treatment for the prevention, cure, amelioration, correction or modification of an animal problem or for euthanasia. Induces anest…
ORS 686.020 (1)(a) does not apply to commissioned veterinary officers of the United States Army, or those in the employ of other United States Government agencies while engaged in their official capacity, unless they enter into a private practice. Nothing in ORS 167.322 or 686.020 (1)(a) shall be so construed as to prevent any person or the agent or employe…
No person shall be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state unless the person: Is a graduate of a veterinary college or a veterinary department of a university or college of good standing and repute. Has satisfactorily passed the examination provided in ORS 686.075. Has completed at least one year in active practice in any state or territory…
A person desiring to practice veterinary medicine, dentistry or surgery in this state shall make a written application to the executive director of the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board for a license to practice. The application shall be on a form provided by the board. Except examination papers which may be destroyed after a five-year period,…
An applicant for a license may be issued a temporary license by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board who at the time of application: Holds a valid current license to practice veterinary medicine in another state or territory of the United States; and Has been actively engaged in some form of veterinary medicine practice for at least one year…
All applicants for a license shall be given a written examination which may, in the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board’s discretion, be supplemented by an oral examination to determine their knowledge of veterinary and comparative anatomy, physiology, histology, pathology, materia medica, therapeutics, sanitary and preventive medicine, surgery, …
Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, an applicant for a license shall serve an internship of not less than one year following passage of the examination required under ORS 686.075 before receiving a license. The internship period may be served in any one of the following ways: By association with and under the supervision of a lice…
If upon an examination judged by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board sufficiently comprehensive to enable the applicant to actively engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in this state, the applicant demonstrates a scientific and practical knowledge of the art of veterinary medicine, and the applicant complies with the other provisions…
A license or permit shall be renewed when the holder: Requests renewal; Pays a fee to the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board to be determined pursuant to ORS 686.255; and Presents evidence of participation in approved professional educational activities during the previous year to the extent established by the board. Upon failure to pay rene…
With the consent of five members, the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may discipline in accordance with ORS 686.150 any permit or license holder under this chapter for unprofessional or dishonorable conduct. The board may discipline in accordance with ORS 686.150 any permit or license holder who: After undergoing a physical or mental health…
“Unprofessional or dishonorable conduct,” as used in this chapter, includes: The fraudulent use or misuse of any health certificate, shipping certificate, brand inspection certificate, or other blank forms used in practice, that might lead to the dissemination of disease or the transportation of diseased animals or the sale of inedible food products of anim…
The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may refuse to issue or renew a license or permit if it finds that the applicant has committed any act or omission which if committed by a licensee or permittee would constitute unprofessional or dishonorable conduct under ORS 686.120, 686.130 or any rule of the board.
When the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board proposes to refuse to issue or renew a license or permit under ORS 686.110 (1)(c), 686.120 or 686.130 or proposes to discipline any permit or license holder in accordance with the provisions of ORS 686.150, opportunity for hearing shall be accorded as provided in ORS chapter 183. Adoption of rules, co…
If, pursuant to ORS 686.120 and 686.135, the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board determines that disciplinary action is necessary, the board may take any or all of the following actions: Revoke, suspend or refuse to renew the license; Place the person on probation; Suspend execution of an order of the board; Place limitations on an individual…
Subject to the provisions of ORS chapter 183 and subsection (2) of this section, the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may impose a fine on any permit or license holder under this chapter for an administrative or clerical violation of this chapter or a rule adopted pursuant to this chapter if the violation does not create a risk of harm to the …
If a license is withheld, not renewed, or revoked for a violation of ORS 686.120 or 686.130, the practitioner may not again apply for a license until after a period of six months has elapsed, and then only by paying the regular examination fee, and again complying with the requirements for obtaining a license in accordance with ORS 686.045. If a license has…
The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board is authorized to appoint a committee of not less than three licensed, practicing veterinarians to investigate any charge made accusing any person of violating any of the provisions of this chapter, and to report to the board any facts concerning the charge, together with any recommendations the committee se…
There is created the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board, which shall carry out the purposes and enforce the provisions of this chapter. The board shall consist of eight members appointed by the Governor for a term of four years. Five members shall be licensed to practice veterinary medicine, surgery and dentistry in this state. Two members shall…
There shall be elected by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board at its first meeting from its members, a president who shall preside at all meetings. In the absence of the president, the members present shall elect a temporary chairperson, who shall preside at the meeting. A majority of the board constitutes a quorum to transact any business co…
A member is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495.
When it is considered necessary by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board for the proper execution of the duties imposed upon it, the board may employ an investigator or other employees, with payment to such employees to be made out of the funds of the board.
The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board Account is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. All moneys received by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board under this chapter shall be deposited into the account and are continuously appropriated to the board to be used only for the administration a…
The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may impose fees for the following: License or permit issuance or renewal. Examination for licensure. Temporary license. Duplicate license. Veterinary technician license. Delinquent renewal. Application and certification fee for certified euthanasia technicians and employers. Verification of a licens…
Upon the complaint of any resident of this state, or upon the board’s own initiative, the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may investigate any alleged violation of this chapter. While conducting an investigation, the board may: Take evidence; Take depositions of witnesses, including the deposition of the person who is the subject of the inv…
If at any time the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board concludes that any person is violating the Oregon veterinary medical laws the board may, in its own name, bring an action to enjoin that person from continuing such practice. The action shall be commenced and prosecuted in the same manner as an action not triable by right to a jury. If, after…
Justice courts and circuit courts have concurrent jurisdiction of prosecutions for the violation of this chapter.
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
All duties of a veterinary technician must be performed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board shall promulgate rules regarding the services a veterinary technician may perform, including, but not limited to: Obtaining and recording information cases. Preparation of patients, instruments, equip…
All applicants for a veterinary technician license shall be given a written examination to determine their knowledge of animal care, handling, basic comparative mammalian health records, applied clinical laboratory procedures and basic animal diseases and such other subjects as the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board deems advisable. The examinat…
Upon application, accompanied by payment of the fee adopted by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board by rule, the board shall issue a veterinary technician license to any applicant who furnishes satisfactory evidence that the applicant has met the requirements for licensure as a veterinary technician established by the board by rule. Note: 686…
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Each veterinarian or veterinary technician licensed in this state shall satisfactorily continue professional education in subjects related to the practice of veterinary medicine or the duties of a veterinary technician in order to be eligible for the renewal of a license to practice veterinary medicine or to act as a veterinary technician. A person who is n…
A license to practice veterinary medicine or to act as a veterinary technician expires on December 31 or on such date as may be specified by rule of the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. The board shall give each person holding a license a notice of pending expiration at least 60 days before the license expires. This notice shall be sufficient…
As used in this section: “Domestic animal” means an animal that has a keeper and is not livestock. “Keeper” means the owner of a domestic animal or an agent of the owner who has apparent authority to secure care for the domestic animal. “Livestock” means equines, bovines, llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats and swine, and chickens, turkeys and other domesticate…
A veterinarian or veterinary technician is not civilly liable for the acts or omissions described in subsection (2) of this section if: The animal has been brought to the veterinarian or veterinary technician by a person other than the owner of the animal; and The veterinarian or veterinary technician does not know who owns the animal or is unable to conta…
The Legislative Assembly finds that there is a direct link between the problems of animal abuse and human abuse and further finds that for the purposes of identifying and prosecuting individuals who have committed crimes against animals, preventing further abuse of animals and preventing animal abuse from escalating to abuse against humans, it is necessary a…
Except as provided in ORS 686.455, licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians may report to peace officers, animal control officers or officers of private organizations devoted to humane treatment of animals any animal that the veterinarian or veterinary technician knows or reasonably believes to be abandoned, neglected or abused. Any veterinarian or …
As used in ORS 686.450 to 686.465 and 686.990 (3): “Aggravated animal abuse” means any animal abuse as described in ORS 167.322. “Aggravated animal abuse” does not include: Good animal husbandry, as defined in ORS 167.310; or Any exemption listed in ORS 167.335. “Law enforcement agency” means: Any city or municipal police department. A police departme…
A veterinarian who has reasonable cause to believe that an animal with which the veterinarian has come in contact has suffered aggravated animal abuse, or that any person with whom the veterinarian has come in contact has committed aggravated animal abuse, shall immediately report the suspected aggravated animal abuse in the manner prescribed in subsection (…
A law enforcement agency receiving a report of suspected aggravated animal abuse pursuant to ORS 609.654 or 686.455 shall investigate the nature and cause of the suspected aggravated animal abuse. If the law enforcement agency finds reasonable cause to believe that aggravated animal abuse has occurred, the law enforcement agency shall process the case in th…
A veterinarian who acts in good faith and has reasonable grounds for making a report of suspected aggravated animal abuse under ORS 686.455 is not liable in any civil or criminal proceeding brought as a result of making the report. Note: See note under 686.450.
Unless state or federal laws relating to confidentiality or the protection of health information prohibit disclosure, a person licensed or certified under this chapter who has reasonable cause to believe that a licensee of another board has engaged in prohibited conduct as defined in ORS 676.150 shall report the prohibited conduct in the manner provided in O…
The Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may establish a certified Euthanasia Task Force and may assess application and certification fees against certified euthanasia technicians and their employers. The fees so assessed are continuously appropriated to the board to support activities of the task force. VETERINARY FACILITIES
A veterinary facility may not offer services related to the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry, as described in ORS 686.030, unless the veterinary facility: Registers with the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board; and Designates a veterinarian licensed under this chapter to be responsible for ensuring that the veterinary facil…
Violation of ORS 686.020 (1)(a) is a Class A misdemeanor. In addition to any other sanction imposed by law, the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation of ORS 686.020 (1). Failure to file a report of suspected aggravated animal abuse as required by ORS 686.455 is a Class A violation…