(1) No person may practice veterinary medicine in the state who is not an actively licensed veterinarian or the holder of a valid temporary permit issued by the board.
(2)  This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit:
(a)  A veterinarian employed by the federal, state or local government from performing official duties specifically required under any lawful act or statute, except that this exemption shall not apply to such persons not actively engaged in performing or fulfilling their official duties and responsibilities.
(b)  A person who is a regular student currently enrolled and in good standing in an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department or an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education from performing duties or actions assigned by the student’s instructors or from working under the direct supervision of an actively licensed veterinarian during a school vacation period. The unsupervised or unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine by a student, even though on the premises of an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department, an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education or at a veterinary medical facility, is prohibited.
(c)  A person who is a regular student currently enrolled and in good standing in a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution and who holds a valid certificate of registration issued by the Idaho state board of education from performing duties or actions assigned by the student’s instructors. This exemption does not include surgery or the administration of controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs, unless specifically allowed by state or federal law, rule or regulation. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine by a student on the premises of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution is prohibited.
(d)  Idaho extension personnel from performing their official duties.
(e)  A veterinarian holding a current, active license in good standing in another state from consulting with a licensed veterinarian in this state.
(f)  Any merchant or manufacturer from selling nonprescription and noncontrolled medicines, biologics, feed, medicated feed, appliances or other products for the prevention or treatment of animal and poultry diseases. Such merchants or manufacturers shall not, either directly or indirectly, attempt to diagnose a symptom or disease in order to advise treatment, the use of drugs, medicines, appliances or products.
(g)  A farmer, rancher or feedlot operator, including custom ranch or feedlot operators, and their regular employees from caring for and treating animals within their possession or control when such animals have been consigned by their legal owner and except where the ownership or possession of the animal was transferred or the employment changed to circumvent this chapter.
(h)  The owner of an animal or the owner’s regular employees from caring for and treating the animals belonging to such owner, or livestock owners or regular employees from pregnancy testing their own or employer’s cattle or the exchange of services for which no monetary compensation is paid between owners or their regular employees, except where the ownership or possession of the animal was transferred or the employment changed to circumvent this chapter, and provided that only an actively licensed veterinarian may immunize or treat an animal for diseases that require the use of a vaccine restricted by state or federal law, rules or regulations, or as otherwise provided by board rule. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, a veterinarian/client/patient relationship, as defined by the rules of the board, must exist when controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs are administered, distributed, dispensed or prescribed.
(i)  A member of a faculty of an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, a veterinary science department, or an educational institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education from performing the faculty member’s regular functions. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine, by a faculty member on the premises of any such institutions, is prohibited.
(j)  Any person from selling or applying any pesticide, insecticide, or herbicide.
(k)  A person from lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations at an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine, veterinary science department or an educational institution accredited or approved by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Idaho state board of education or the United States department of education or in connection with an approved continuing education course or seminar.
(l)  A member of a faculty of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution who holds a valid certificate of registration issued by the Idaho state board of education from performing the faculty member’s regular functions. This exemption does not include surgery or the administration of controlled substances or legend/prescription drugs, unless specifically allowed by state or federal law, rule or regulation. The unsupervised or unauthorized personal practice of veterinary medicine by a faculty member on the premises of a nonaccredited or nonapproved educational institution is prohibited.
(m)  Individuals employed as instructors or researchers by, or enrolled as students in, any bona fide medical research institution from conducting experiments and scientific research on animals:
(i)   In the development of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, or serums for treating human or animal ailments; or
(ii)  In the development of methods of treatment or techniques for the diagnosis or treatment of human or animal ailments; or
(iii) When engaged in the study and development of methods and techniques directly or indirectly applicable to the practice of veterinary medicine, as long as such research is conducted in compliance with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.
(n)  Any person from performing artificial insemination of domestic animals as governed by chapter 8, title 25, Idaho Code.
(o)  Any person from horseshoeing or hoof-trimming bovine, equine and farm animals.
(p)  An allied health professional actively licensed and in good standing in any state from participating in a medical procedure involving an animal, provided that such participation is in the health professional’s licensed field of medicine and under the indirect supervision of an actively licensed veterinarian.
(q)  Any person from the gratuitous treatment of animals in an emergency as a neighborly act.
(r)  Any state or federal livestock inspector from performing the official duties specifically required under any lawful act or statute, provided that this exemption shall not apply to such persons not actively engaged in performing or fulfilling their official duties and responsibilities.
(s)  A certified euthanasia agency from operating as a CEA as defined by law and rules.
(t)  A certified euthanasia technician from performing those duties as defined by law and rules.
(u)  Any person from utilizing cotton swabs, gauze, dental floss, dentifrice or toothbrushes to clean an animal’s teeth.
(v)  A certified veterinary technician from practicing veterinary technology under appropriate supervision, as defined by the rules of the board.
(w)  An assistant or veterinary technician from performing acts pertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine under appropriate supervision, as defined by the rules of the board.
(x)  The personal representative, executor or sole surviving heir of a licensed veterinarian from continuing to operate the veterinary medical practice of the deceased for a period of not more than three (3) years following death. This exception applies only where during such three (3) year period:
(i)   Good faith efforts are being made to sell the veterinary medical practice; and
(ii)  All the decisions pertaining to the diagnosis, care and treatment of the patients are made by an actively licensed veterinarian.
(y)  A veterinarian with an active license in good standing from another state from practicing veterinary medicine on animals in the collection of a publicly owned zoo that is either licensed by the United States department of agriculture (USDA) as an exhibitor or is accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums (AZA), but only when the Idaho licensed veterinarian who regularly attends to these animals is unavailable or unqualified to render the services required. This exemption from licensure applies only after the out-of-state veterinarian notifies the board in writing: (1) of the location of practice in Idaho; and (2) the expected duration of the practice. After the out-of-state veterinarian completes the services under this section, the veterinarian must so notify the board in writing of that fact. Unless expressly extended by the board in its sound discretion, an exemption under this section is limited to a period of one (1) year from the initial notification date.
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Terms Used In Idaho Code 54-2104

  • Accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine: means any veterinary college or division of a university or college inside or outside the United States or Canada that offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine, veterinary medicine doctor, or its equivalent and is accredited or approved by the council on education of the American veterinary medical association or other accrediting agency or association approved by the board. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Allied health professional: means a person holding a current active license, in good standing, in any state to practice one (1) of the healing arts including, but not limited to, medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture and podiatry. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Animal: means any animal other than man and includes fowl, birds, fish and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Assistant: means any individual, other than a certified veterinary technician or a licensed veterinarian, who is utilized by a licensed veterinarian to assist in the performance of acts pertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Board: means the state board of veterinary medicine. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • CEA: means a law enforcement agency, an animal control agency or a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals that has been inspected and certified by the committee on humane euthanasia or the board. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Certified veterinary technician: means a person who has fulfilled the certification requirements prescribed by board rule and has been certified by the board to practice veterinary technology in this state. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Direct supervision: means the supervising veterinarian is on the premises where the animal is being treated, is quickly and easily available, and the animal has been examined by the supervising veterinarian as acceptable veterinary medical practice requires. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Emergency: means that the animal has been placed in a life-threatening condition where immediate treatment is necessary to sustain life. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
  • In good standing: means , when used in reference to an applicant for licensure or certification, that an applicant:
Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Indirect supervision: means the supervising veterinarian is not on the premises but is available for immediate contact by telephone, radio or other means, has given either written or oral instructions for treatment of the animal patient, the animal has been examined by the supervising veterinarian as acceptable veterinary medical practice requires, and the animal, if previously anesthetized, has recovered to the point of being conscious and sternal. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Licensed veterinarian: means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Person: means any individual, firm, partnership, association, joint venture, cooperative and corporation, or any other group or combination acting in concert, and whether or not acting as principal, trustee, fiduciary, receiver, or as any other 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. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories; and the words "United States" may include the District of Columbia and territories. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Supervision: means the action or process of a supervising veterinarian in directing activities or a course of action for those individuals to whom activities or functions have been assigned or delegated. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Veterinarian: means a person who has received a doctor’s degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited or approved school of veterinary medicine or as otherwise provided by law or rule. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Veterinary medical facility: means any premises, office, unit, structure, mobile unit, or area utilized for the practice of veterinary medicine other than the premises of an owner when used for treatment of the owner’s animal. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Veterinary technician: means a person who has graduated from a veterinary technology program accredited or approved by the committee on veterinary technician education and activities of the American veterinary medical association or other accrediting agency approved by the board or a person who has received equivalent training as set forth in the rules of the board. See Idaho Code 54-2103
  • Veterinary technology: means the performance of services within the practice of veterinary medicine by a person working under the direction of a supervising veterinarian to perform duties that require an understanding of veterinary medicine in order to carry out the orders of the veterinarian. See Idaho Code 54-2103
    • (3)  Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the board’s authority to provide other exemptions or exceptions to the requirements for licensing, under its rulemaking authority, as the board may find necessary or appropriate.