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The following is a general summary only, for a comprehensive analysis of animal cruelty law and veterinary responsibilities pertaining to reporting requirements in individual states, you are strongly advised to review the full text of the pertinent statute and regulations, and/or consult a local attorney knowledgeable in this field. The current laws and regulations can be found on most state legislative web sites.
State veterinary medical associations are also excellent sources of information regarding a veterinarian's responsibilities under state law. Also note that laws and regulations are amended occasionally, so be sure to be working with the current version.
Summary:
The states that specifically require a licensed veterinarian to report instances of animal abuse/cruelty in either statute or regulation include Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. Kansas regulations do not specifically require reporting, but note that failure to report cruel or inhumane treatment to an animal constitutes grounds for disciplinary action against a veterinarian if that veterinarian has direct knowledge of such treatment. Maryland regulations encourage a veterinarian to report suspected instances of animal cruelty but do not require such reporting. Maine and Oregon statutes require veterinarians to report instances of aggravated animal cruelty but provide that veterinarians may report instances of animal cruelty or neglect. Wisconsin statute requires a veterinarian to make a report only when he or she reason to believe that an animal has been in a fight. Finally, regulations passed in 2009 in Pennsylvania create mandatory reporting requirements by veterinarians of repeated acts of negligence or animal abuse by a professional colleague.
The states that specifically provide civil lawsuit immunity for good faith reporting include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Section 21 of the AVMA Model Veterinary Practice Act encourages veterinarians to report animal abuse.
A 2001 article in JAVMA addresses this issue as well. http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/mar01/s030101b.asp
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= AVMA/SAVMA Members Only
