                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

EXCEPTIONS (§ 54.1-3801)

This chapter shall not apply to:

1. The owner of an animal and the owner&#8217;s full-time, regular employee
caring for and treating the animal belonging to such owner, except where the
ownership of the animal was transferred for the purpose of circumventing the
requirements of this chapter;

2. Veterinarians licensed in other states called in actual consultation with
veterinarians licensed in the Commonwealth who do not open an office or appoint
a place to practice within the Commonwealth;

3. Veterinarians employed by the United States or by the Commonwealth while
actually engaged in the performance of their official duties, with the exception
of those engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, pursuant to &#xA7;
54.1-3800, as part of a veterinary medical education program accredited by the
American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education and located in the
Commonwealth;

4. Veterinarians providing free care in underserved areas of Virginia who (i) do
not regularly practice veterinary medicine in Virginia, (ii) hold a current
valid license or certificate to practice veterinary medicine in another state,
territory, district, or possession of the United States, (iii) volunteer to
provide free care in an underserved area of the Commonwealth under the auspices
of a publicly supported all volunteer, nonprofit organization that sponsors the
provision of health care to populations of underserved people, (iv) file copies
of their licenses or certificates issued in such other jurisdiction with the
Board, (v) notify the Board at least five business days prior to the voluntary
provision of services of the dates and location of such service, and (vi)
acknowledge, in writing, that such licensure exemption shall only be valid, in
compliance with the Board&#8217;s regulations, during the limited period that
such free health care is made available through the volunteer, nonprofit
organization on the dates and at the location filed with the Board. The Board
may deny the right to practice in Virginia to any veterinarian whose license has
been previously suspended or revoked, who has been convicted of a felony, or who
is otherwise found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations.
However, the Board shall allow a veterinarian who meets the above criteria to
provide volunteer services without prior notice for a period of up to three
days, provided the nonprofit organization verifies that the practitioner has a
valid, unrestricted license in another state; or

5. Persons purchasing, possessing, and administering drugs and biological
products in a public or private animal shelter as defined in &#xA7; 3.2-6500,
provided that such purchase, possession, and administration is in compliance
with &#xA7; 54.1-3423.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 54-786; c. 574; 1978, c. 539; 1988, c. 765; 2002, c. 740;
2008, c. 674; 2009, cc. 149, 169; 2014, c. 148; 2016, cc. 306, 479; 2018, c.
774.