ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

   SECTIONS

PART I
Preliminary

                1.         Short title

                2.         Interpretation

PART II
Veterinary Surgeons Council

                3.         Establishment of Council

                4.         Functions of Council

                5.         Meetings of Council

                6.         Committees

PART III
Registration of Veterinary Surgeons

                7.         Prohibition of unregistered persons from practising as veterinary surgeons

                8.         Registrar

                9.         Application for registration

               10.         Examination to qualify to practise as veterinary surgeon

               11.         Qualifications for registration

               12.         Registration as veterinary surgeon

               13.         Register of veterinary surgeons

               14.         Declaration made by registered veterinary surgeons

               15.         Additional qualifications

               16.         Notification of change of name and address

               17.         Certificate signed by Registrar admissible

               18.         Striking off and removal of veterinary surgeon from the Register

               19.         Restoring name of veterinary surgeon to Register

PART IV
Effect of Registration

               20.         Use of title and description of veterinary surgeon

               21.         Drugs to be purchased, kept, used, prescribed or supplied

               22.         Validity of certificate issued by veterinary surgeon

PART V
Code of Ethics

               23.         Council to issue Code of ethics

               24.         Required standards of practice

               25.         Confidentially

               26.         Certification and attestation

               27.         Premises, supplies etc. to be properly maintained

               28.         Canvassing or touting prohibited

PART VI
Provisions Relating to Discipline

               29.         Inquiry into misconduct

               30.         Allegations to be supported

               31.         Appearance before Council to address allegations

               32.         Council may hear witnesses and receive documentary evidence

               33.         Registrar may summon witnesses

               34.         Penalty for failure to obey summons or to give evidence

               35.         Parties to hearing entitled to legal representation

               36.         Order made after inquiry

               37.         Service of Order upon veterinary surgeon

               38.         Appeal to the High Court

PART VII
Private Practice

               39.         Private practice

               40.         Application for licence to establish private practice

               41.         Validity of licence

               42.         Renewal of licence

               43.         Licence not exemption from obtaining other licences

               44.         Revocation of licence

               45.         Appeals against refusal to grant licence to establish private practice

PART VIII
General

               46.         Indemnity of council and its members

               47.         Offences and penalties

               48.         Regulations

               49.         Transitional provisions

               50.         Savings

                            Schedule 1

                            Schedule 2

Act 35, 1971,
S.I. 30, 1973,
Act 41, 1973,
 Act 22, 1978,
Act 4, 1979,
Act 7, 1980,
Act 18, 2006,
Act 24, 2008,
S.I. 15, 2011.

An Act to make provision for the regulation of veterinary surgeons; for the establishment of the Veterinary Surgeons Council and for matters incidental thereto and connected therewith.

[Date of Commencement: 11th March, 2011]

            This Act may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

2.       Interpretation

            In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

             "animal" includes-

     (a)     any kind of mammal, except man; and

     (b)     any bird, fish, reptile or insect;

            "Association" means the Botswana Veterinary Association registered under the Societies Act;

            "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Council, appointed under section 3 (1) (a) of the Act;

            "Committee" means a committee of the Council, established under section 6(1);

            "Council" means the Veterinary Surgeons Council established under section 3 (1);

            "Director" means the Director of Veterinary Services;

            "game" means any animal specified in the Sixth and Seventh Schedules to the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act;

            "licence" means a licence issued under section 39 to establish a private practice;

            "member" means a member of the Council, appointed under section 3(1);

            "para-professional" means a person, other than a veterinary surgeon, authorised by the Council to carry out designated duties relating to veterinary medicine under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon;

            "private practice" means the rendering of veterinary services by a veterinary surgeon for hire, gain, fee, compensation, reward received or promised or offered directly or indirectly;

            "Register" means the register of veterinary surgeons kept under section 13;

            "Registrar" means the Registrar of Veterinary Surgeons appointed under section 8;

            "repealed Act" means the Veterinary Surgeons Act;

            "veterinary biologicals" means-

     (a)     any live, live attenuated or inactivated vaccines, and sera and antisera used in animals for prophylactic immunisation of animals against animal diseases;

     (b)     any live intestinal microflora used for probiotic purposes;

     (c)     any interdermal tuberculin for diagnostic tests;

     (d)     any enzymes for the treatment of diarrhoeas, improvement of starch, fibre digestion and restoration of gut microflora of all species; or

     (e)     any material for therapeutic use produced using biotechnological means of recombinant DNA;

            "veterinary surgeon" means a person registered as a veterinary surgeon under section 12 (1); and

            "veterinary surgery" includes the practise of veterinary medicine and the giving or providing of any treatment, test, advice, diagnosis or attention such as is normally performed, given or provided by ve-terinary surgeons at an established location.