(a) Every veterinary practice shall provide some form of referral for emergency veterinary services when a veterinarian is not available. That referral, at the minimum, shall be a combination of a posted sign at the veterinary practice entrance and access to emergency veterinary services through the veterinary practice main telephone number.
(b) A veterinarian who advertises veterinary emergency services shall include in all emergency-service advertisements the hours during which such emergency services are provided and the availability of the veterinarian who is to provide emergency service in his or her practice.
(c) (1) The availability of the veterinarian who is to provide emergency service shall be specified as either "veterinarian on premises" or "veterinarian on call."
(2) The phrase "veterinarian on premises" means that there is a veterinarian actually present at the hospital, clinic, or other type of veterinary practice, who is prepared to render emergency veterinary services.
(3) The phrase "veterinarian on call" means that a veterinarian is not present at the hospital, clinic, or other type of veterinary practice but is able to respond within a reasonable time to requests for emergency veterinary services and has been designated to so respond.
History of Section.
P.L. 1985, ch. 531, § 2; P.L. 1997, ch. 343, § 1.