Veterinary Activities Organisation Act (1999)

This Act provides the grounds for the organisation of veterinary activities. Veterinary activities are a system of measures applied to protect animal and human health and to ensure the welfare of animals that includes activities in the areas of animal health, animal product hygiene and animal protection. Veterinary activities include steps taken in the course of state veterinary supervision, in the course of veterinary checks carried out in the framework of proceedings for granting activity and other licences and in the course of veterinary practice. Veterinary practice means activities in the field of treatment, prevention and diagnosis, including laboratory diagnosis, of animal diseases. Veterinary supervision steps taken and veterinary checks carried out by official veterinarians and authorised veterinarians are not considered veterinary practice. A veterinarian has the right to engage in veterinary practice. For the purposes of this Act, veterinarian means a person who is qualified in veterinary medicine and holds a professional activity licence of a veterinarian. For the purposes of this Act, animal means any mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish or invertebrate living in artificial conditions or freely in the wild. This Act further provides for organisation of veterinary supervision and veterinary checks; authorised veterinarian, procedure for authorisation, and rights and obligations of authorised veterinarian; requirements for engaging in veterinary practice; authorisation of laboratory; veterinary supervision fee; and liability.