Oregon Statutes 686.440 – Immunity from civil liability for emergency treatment
(1) A veterinarian or veterinary technician is not civilly liable for the acts or omissions described in subsection (2) of this section if:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 686.440
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
- Veterinary technician: means an individual who has received a certificate in veterinary technology, or a comparable certificate, from a recognized college or university approved by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board, or an individual employed as a veterinary technician who has had at least four calendar years of on-the-job training in the technical procedures certified by a licensed veterinarian who presented the instruction. See Oregon Statutes 686.010
(a) The animal has been brought to the veterinarian or veterinary technician by a person other than the owner of the animal; and
(b) The veterinarian or veterinary technician does not know who owns the animal or is unable to contact an owner of the animal before a decision must be made with respect to emergency treatment or euthanasia.
(2) The immunity granted by this section applies to:
(a) Any injury to an animal or death of an animal that results from acts or omissions of the veterinarian or veterinary technician in providing treatment to the animal; and
(b) The euthanasia of a seriously injured or seriously ill animal.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, this section does not apply to any act or omission of a veterinarian or veterinary technician that constitutes gross negligence in providing treatment to an animal.
(4) A veterinarian is completely immune from any civil liability for the decision to euthanize an animal under the circumstances described in subsection (1) of this section. [1997 c.243 § 2]
REPORTING OBLIGATIONS