Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Individual exercise (liberal)

The veterinarian may exercise his activity alone in the liberal form. He must for that create a. The veterinarian is then an individual operator.

Please note

The veterinarian cannot benefit from the scheme micro-social.

Joint practice (in business of joint practice of the veterinary profession)

Shapes of businesses

Persons legally practicing the profession of veterinarian may practice together animal medicine and surgery in the context of:

• From Professional Civil businesses (PCS) of veterinarians: allows natural persons to exercise a regulated liberal profession jointly
• From businesses for Private Practice (SEL) Veterinarians: allows professionals to carry out their activity as capital businesses
• From any businesses of national law or businesses established in accordance with the law of a Member State of theEuropean Union or another State Party to the Agreement onEuropean Economic Area (EEA) and having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business there, provided that they do not confer on their members the status of merchant.

This exercise in common may be undertaken only after the business has been entered on the roll of the Order.

These businesses must meet the following cumulative conditions:

• More than half of the share capital and voting rights must be held, directly or through the businesses registered with the Order, by persons legally practicing veterinary medicine within the business
• The business does not confer merchant status
• The direct or indirect holding of shares or units of the share capital is prohibited:
  
  • Natural or legal persons who, not exercising the profession of veterinarian, provide services, products or materials used in the course of the veterinary professional practice.
  • Natural or legal persons engaged, on a professional basis or in accordance with their business purpose, in the rearing, production or sale, free of charge or in return, of animals or the processing of animal products.
• The managers, the Chairman of the Simplified Share business (SAS), the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the members of the Management Board must be persons legally practicing veterinary medicine. These individuals must therefore be registered individually on the roll of the Order.
• The identity of the partners is known and the admission of any new partner is subject to prior approval by a collective decision taken by a majority of the partners. For businesses governed by foreigners law, such admission shall take place under the conditions laid down by their statutes or by the law applicable to them.

The businesses must communicate annually to the regional council of the Order to which they depend the list of their partners and the allocation of voting rights and capital, as well as any modification of these elements.

The National Council of the Order compares the different modes of practice:

Veterinarians: choose your mode of exercise

National Order of Veterinarians

Pour en savoir plus

Warning  

When a business no longer complies with these conditions, the regional council of the Order gives notice to comply with them within a period that it determines of a maximum of 6 months. In the absence of regularization within the time limit set, the Regional Council may, after informing the business of the proposed measure and inviting it to submit its observations, pronounce the delisting the business of the table of the College of Veterinarians.

Agreement or contract

Any agreement or contract between a veterinarian and a business for the purpose of practicing as a veterinarian shall be the subject of a written undertaking, dated and signed by the parties.

Agreements or contracts shall contain a clause guaranteeing veterinarians respect for the code of ethics and their independence in all acts falling within their profession.

Agreements or contracts are communicated without delay to the regional council of the Order which verifies their conformity. The agreement or contract is deemed to be in conformity if, within 2 months of its receipt, the regional council of the Order has not made any observations.

Registration on the Order's roll

One registration request form the table of the College of Veterinarians must be completed. The file varies according to the type of business. The templates for the dossier to be completed are available on the website of the National Veterinary College.

The application for registration of a business of veterinarians shall be made collectively by the partners, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt request. If they are practicing, they provide their certificate of registration to the College.

The registration application form is accompanied by the following documents :

• A copy of the articles of association signed by all the partners of the business or by an authorized representative indicating the full civil status of each partner, accompanied by proof of their professional administrative domicile and the
• The amount of the share capital, the number, the nominal amount and the distribution of the shares or shares representative of this capital, as well as the criteria for the distribution of profits
• A document proving the total or partial release, as the case may be, of the contributions contributing to the formation of the share capital
• A certificate from the partners indicating the address of the professional residence or domiciles in which the veterinary activity will be carried out on behalf of the business
• Payment of the College's registration fees, if any. This payment remains vested in the Order, regardless of the response to the request.

All documents submitted in support of the application for registration must be accompanied, if not in French, by a translation certified by a sworn translator or authorized to intervene with the judicial or administrative authorities of another Member State of the European Union, a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation.

Please note

Once registered with the Order, the legal persons must provide the unique identification number within one month.

Any modification of the statutes or of these elements shall be notified without delay to the regional council of the Order. It is accompanied by a copy of the company documents mentioning it certified as conforming to the version deposited at the registry of the commercial court.

The application for registration is registered when all the documents have been received by the regional council. A receipt is sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the applicant by the regional council of the Order. The 2 months delay to decide on the application begins on the date of registration of the application by the regional council of the Order.

The silence maintained by the Regional Council of the Order of Veterinarians on an application for inclusion in the register of the Order, formulated by a natural person or a business, constitutes a rejection decision.

The decision to refuse registration may be appealed to the National Council of the Order within 2 months. This appeal shall not suspend the refusal decision.

In case of acceptance of the registration file, a certificate of registration the table of the Order of Veterinarians will then be issued by the regional council of the Order of Veterinarians.

Wage or liberal collaboration

The veterinarian may exercise as:

• Liberal collaborator: a self-employed veterinarian who, under a contract of liberal collaboration, practices with another veterinarian who provides him with the premises and equipment necessary for the practice of the profession. The Order make available more information on liberal collaboration, as well as a guide to drafting the liberal collaborator contract.
• Employee. The Order make available more information on employment.

A comparison of these modes of exercise is available on the website of the Order of Veterinarians:

Veterinary: Comparison of employee and employee status

National Order of Veterinarians

Pour en savoir plus

Please note

Veterinary staff who work outside the tasks entrusted to them by their employment contract are considered to be working in a liberal capacity.

Any agreement or contract between veterinarians or between a veterinarian and a business for the exercise of the profession shall be the subject of a written undertaking, dated and signed by the parties.

Agreements or contracts shall contain a clause guaranteeing veterinarians respect for the code of ethics and their independence in all acts falling within their profession.

Agreements or contracts are communicated without delay to the regional council of the Order which verifies their conformity. The agreement or contract is deemed to be in conformity if, within 2 months of its receipt, the regional council of the Order has not made any observations.

Please note

One non-compete clause may exist in the employment contract of the employed veterinarian.

Types of homes

Any veterinarian listed on the register of the order declares a administrative professional residence (DPA) which is the address chosen for registration on the regional council of the Order and one or more professional residences (DPE) which are the places where the veterinarian practices animal medicine and surgery. Eventually, the DPE declared and chosen by the veterinarian as his main place of practice will determine the competence of the regional council to which he will be attached.

Administrative Professional Domicile (DPA)

The administrative professional residence (DPA) of a veterinarian is the place chosen for registration on the roll of the Order.

People physical or morals practicing the profession must have a single DPA on French territory.

Unless the veterinarian indicates otherwise, the DPA is the correspondence address for the regional council of the Order.

Professional residence (DPE)

The professional practice home (DPE) is the place of establishment of professional premises, accessible at any time by the veterinarian(s) practicing there, where the profession of veterinarian is practiced. Any veterinarian registered with the Order and practicing a at least one DPE. Any DPE must be declared to the regional council of the Order, prior to its opening. A veterinarian or a group of veterinarians with the common purpose of professional practice may have more than one EPD.

The organization and layout of the premises of the DPE must be both guarantee the independence of the veterinarian and allow for professional secrecy to be respected. As the case may be, neither the lease nor the condominium by-law contains any clause affecting the independence of the veterinarian. The name of the DPE's internet address shall not:

• Mislead customers
• Disloyal to colleagues.

A veterinarian is prohibited from having a PEP permanently managed by a colleague or from having a client service provided, except in the event of compulsory absence, illness or death. Rental of customers is prohibited.

The establishment located at the professional residence for practice (DPE), where the animals are brought for treatment, is referred to as veterinary care facility.

Veterinary care facilities have the following names:

• ‘Veterinary practice’
• ‘Veterinary clinic’
• “Center of Veterinary Specialists”
• ‘Veterinary hospital center’.

These designations can only be used if the establishment meets the conditions applicable to premises, equipment and personnel depending on the species or species of animals. These criteria are specified in a order available on Legifrance.

The regional council of the Order may authorize the practice of medicine and surgery in premises other than those mentioned in this article where specific means are combined.

The establishment managed by an animal welfare association is a veterinary care establishment which must meet the minimum requirements for the veterinary practice.

The name of veterinary care establishments must not mislead clients or be unfair to colleagues.

Declare activity

The trader must register the company. This procedure must be carried out online on the website of the companies' Formalities Office:

Window of company formalities

The trader must apply for registration within one month of the declared start date of the activity and no later than 15 days after the start date of the activity. The effect of this formality is to give the company legal status.

This declaration makes it possible to inform all the organizations concerned by the launch of the activity (INSEE, social organizations, Urssaf, public finance center…).

As soon as the application for registration is accepted, INSEE allocates:

• A number Siren : it is a unique identification number of the 9-digit company 
• A number Siret : it's thegeographical identifier of each institution from the company, it is therefore possible to have several. This number consists of the Siren and a NIC (Internal Ranking Number).

When registering the company, INSEE also assigns the professional its code EPA: titleContent.

When the professional's spouse decides to work in the company, he must provide a sworn certificate specifying his status in the company:

Declaration of non-conviction

When registering his activity, the trader must provide a declaration on honor of non-conviction.

By this declaration, he attests that he has not been the subject of any criminal, civil or administrative sanction prohibiting him from setting up and managing a company.

One template declaration of non-conviction and parentage is available:

Declaration of non-conviction and filiation for registration in the Trade and Companies Register (RCS) and the National Register of companies (RNE)

Persons concerned

Veterinarians must comply with the veterinary code of ethics. This also applies to:

• Businesses of veterinarians
• Pupils of French veterinary schools
• Veterinary teachers of national veterinary schools practicing in clinics belonging to veterinary schools
• Veterinary teachers in an approved establishment (private under contract with the State).

FYI  

The College of Veterinarians provides a code of ethics commented on:

The Veterinary Code of Ethics commented

National Order of Veterinarians

Pour en savoir plus

Sanctions

The regional and national disciplinary chambers may apply disciplinary sanctions, where a veterinarian commits breaches, including breaches of ethical rules. The disciplinary sanctions applicable are as follows:

• Warning
• Reprimand
• Temporary suspension of the right to practice the profession for a maximum period of 10 years in all or part of the national territory, with or without partial or total suspension. This sanction results in the ineligibility of the person concerned to a council of the Order for the entire duration of the suspension.
• Removal (final) from the Order's register.

Any administrative decision of a regional council of the Order issued as an application to the Code of Veterinary Ethics may be subject to a administrative appeal before the superior council. Only the decision of the Higher Council of the Order rendered on this appeal may be the subject of an appeal for abuse of power before the Council of State.

General duties of the veterinarian

I. The practice of veterinary art is personal. Each veterinarian is responsible for his decisions and actions.

II. The veterinarian may not alienate his professional independence in any form whatsoever.

III. The veterinarian must fulfill all the duties imposed on him by the laws and regulations. He performs the acts related to his art according to the rules of good professional practice. It shall ensure that the duties of the staff under its authority are precisely defined, that it is trained in the rules of good practice and that it complies with them.

IV. The veterinarian shall respect the contractual commitments he makes in the exercise of his profession.

V.-The veterinarian must respect professional secrecy under the conditions established by law.

VI. Under no circumstances shall the veterinarian practice his profession under conditions which may compromise the quality of his acts.

VII. The veterinarian shall take into account the consequences of his professional activity on public health, in particular with regard to antibiotic resistance.

VIII. The veterinarian respects the animals.

IX. The veterinarian shall take into account the environmental consequences of his professional activity.

X. The veterinarian shall refrain, even outside the practice of the profession, from any act likely to undermine the dignity of the profession.

XI. Any complication between veterinarians, veterinarians and pharmacists or any other person shall be prohibited.

XII. The veterinarian shall acquire the scientific information necessary for his professional exercise, take it into account in the performance of his mission, maintain and improve his knowledge.

XIII. The veterinarian shall carry out scrupulously, as soon as possible and in accordance with the instructions received, the public service tasks entrusted to him by the administrative authority. When required by the administration to carry out its mission with the clients of a colleague, it refuses any intervention foreign to it.

No veterinarian shall carry out preventive or treatment procedures where such procedures have been expressly requested by the administration to another veterinarian and he is aware of them.

The veterinarian shall give the members of the inspection bodies all facilities for the performance of their duties.

XIV. The veterinarian may pursue another professional activity compatible with the regulations on the one hand and with professional independence and dignity on the other. This activity must not put its interests in conflict with its ethical duties, in particular by providing it with means of unfair competition vis-à-vis its colleagues.

XV. The veterinarian shall not cover by his title any person not authorized to carry out a veterinary professional exercise, and in particular shall not allow anyone working under his authority or responsibility to carry out his activity outside the conditions laid down by law.

XVI. No veterinarian who has assumed or has assumed professional responsibility or who performs or has performed an administrative or political function shall avail himself of it directly or indirectly for personal purposes in the exercise of the profession.

XVII. The veterinarian is prohibited from dispensing medicines to humans, even on the prescription of a doctor.

XVIII. The veterinarian may not practice his profession as a trade or favor his own interests over those of his clients or the animals he treats.

XIX. The veterinarian shall inform the Regional Council of the College of Veterinarians of any change in his professional situation, in the light of the information he must declare, and shall provide him with all the information he requests for the purpose of carrying out his duties.

Distinctions, qualifications and titles

In the course of his professional activity, the veterinarian may mention honorary distinctions recognized by the French Republic and titles and diplomas listed by the National Council of the Order of Veterinarians. It is forbidden to usurp titles or to adorn itself with false titles.

Veterinarians who have been granted the title of specialist veterinarian and who have not been subject to a withdrawal order may, in the course of their profession, rely solely on the title of specialist veterinarian.

Communication and information

Any communication addressed to third parties or veterinary colleagues is free, provided that it complies with the provisions regulating the practice of the profession.

The veterinarian's communication must not undermine public respect or the dignity of the profession.

Any communication shall preserve the professional secrecy to which veterinarians are obliged. It must be fair, honest and scientifically supported. It must not mislead the public, abuse its trust or exploit its credulity, lack of experience or knowledge.

When the veterinarian reports professional or technical skills, he must be able to justify them. It may not use comparative methods or use the testimony of third parties.

Price information must be clear, honest and dated. It must be linked to a specific offer of services and include all the services included in the offer. Any offer of services that may result in additional costs for the customer must give rise to precise information.

Veterinarians shall ensure that the information they are required to provide on their services is made available or communicated in a clear, unambiguous and timely manner before they are carried out.

It is forbidden for the veterinarian to use the logo of the Order of Veterinarians, except with written authorization from the president of the superior council of the Order.

The veterinarian shall make available to persons using his services the following information:

• Information on its identification, businesses of practice and veterinary professional networks to which it belongs, and their contact details
• Contact details of the regional council of the Order to which it reports
• Elements enabling the applicant to access the code of ethics
• Information relating to the assumption of professional civil liability and the contact details of its insurer.

Publications

In publications, the veterinarian may use documents or results of examinations and observations provided by other authors, only if they mention the part taken by these other authors in their establishment or by indicating the appropriate bibliographical reference.

All communications must be signed by the author.

The veterinarian who makes a submission containing the indications in favor of a company or a trade mark, whatever the process used, must mention, if any, the links which link him to that company or that trade mark.

Pseudonym

It is forbidden for the veterinarian to use a pseudonym for the practice of animal medicine and surgery. For other activities carried out by the veterinarian in connection with the veterinary profession, the use of a pseudonym is subject to a prior declaration to the regional council of the Order.

Certificates and other documents

The veterinarian shall take the utmost care in drawing up the certificates or other documents required of him and shall state only facts the accuracy of which he himself has verified.

Any certificate or other similar document is authenticated by the signature and the personal stamp of the veterinarian issuing it or by means of its secure electronic signature. The stamp shall contain the following information:

• Surname and first name of the veterinarian
• Address of the professional practice domicile
• National registration number for the Order.

Certificates and other documents must comply with the legal and regulatory provisions in force.

The making available to a third party of certificates or other signed documents without editorial content constitutes serious professional misconduct.

The veterinarian must report to the president of the regional council of the Order or to the competent authority, when he is responsible for a public service mission, the difficulties encountered in drawing up his professional certification acts.

Relations with other veterinarians, other health professionals and third parties

Confraternity

Veterinarians must maintain a confraternal relationship with each other and with members of other health professions.

When a veterinarian intervenes after a colleague, he must refrain from any denigration.

Veterinarians owe each other assistance, advice and service.

If a professional disagreement arises between colleagues, they must first seek conciliation. If the conciliation fails, they seek an ordinal mediation from the president of the regional council of the Order.

Veterinarian Replacement

The veterinarian who replaces a colleague ensures the customer service of that colleague.

At the end of the replacement, all information relevant to the continuity of care shall be transmitted to the veterinarian replaced.

Veterinary diagnosis, prescription and dispensing of medicines

Rules for establishing veterinary diagnosis

The veterinary diagnosis the purpose of the assessment is to determine the health status of an animal or group of animals or to assess a health risk.

The veterinarian shall make a veterinary diagnosis following the consultation, including the clinical examination of the animal(s). However, it may also establish a diagnosis when it carries out health surveillance and regularly provides care to animals or when it monitors the implementation of a livestock health program.

In all cases, the veterinarian is prohibited from making a veterinary diagnosis without first having gathered the necessary memorials and without having carried out the necessary examinations.

Principles to be followed in prescribing medicines

Any prescription of medicines is carried out after a veterinary diagnosis has been established.

Within the limits set by law, the veterinarian is free of his prescriptions. It is forbidden to alienate this freedom from anyone.

Its prescription is appropriate to the case in question. It is guided by respect for public health and consideration of animal health and protection. It shall be established having regard to its consequences, in particular economic consequences, for the owner of the animal or animals.

Pharmacy

The veterinarian must not, by any process or means whatsoever, induce his clients to misuse medicines.

It must be actively involved in veterinary pharmacovigilance.

It ensures prudent and rational use of antimicrobial and antiparasitic agents to limit the risk of resistance.

Ancillary activities

The supply of feedingstuffs for particular nutritional purposes and, in general, of products, materials and services related to the practice of animal medicine and surgery, is permitted provided that it constitutes an ancillary activity to the practice of animal medicine and surgery.

All brokering in animal trade and insurance mediation is prohibited for veterinarians practicing animal medicine and surgery.

Professional secrecy

Any veterinarian, including a veterinary assistant, shall respect professional secrecy.

The professional secrecy of the veterinarian covers everything that came to the veterinarian's knowledge in the exercise of his profession, that is to say what was entrusted to him but also what he saw, heard or understood.

Duties to customers

Clientele

The veterinarian’s clientele consists of all the persons who usually entrust him with the performance of acts falling within the scope of that exercise. It does not have a territoriality or exclusivity character.

Diversion or attempted diversion of customers is prohibited. The veterinarian must refrain from any act of unfair competition against his colleagues.

It is forbidden for the veterinarian to take advantage of the performance of interventions or missions on behalf of the State to try to expand his clientele or derive personal advantage from it.

The veterinarian who assists or replaces a colleague ensures the customer service of that colleague.

Fundamental duties

I. The veterinarian must respect the right of any owner or keeper of animals to freely choose his veterinarian.

II. It shall give its advice and recommendations, taking into account their consequences, with all the necessary clarity and give all the useful explanations on the diagnosis, on the prophylaxis or therapy instituted and on the prescription established, in order to obtain the informed consent of its clients.

III. He shall maintain an attitude of dignity and care towards the owners or keepers of the animals to whom he is caring, taking into account in particular the affective relations which may exist between the owner and the animal.

IV. It ensures the continuity of care for the animals entrusted to it. Continuity of care can also be ensured through an agreement established between veterinarians and registered with the regional council of the Order.

The veterinarian informs the public of the possibilities offered to him to ensure this medical follow-up by a colleague.

V. The veterinarian shall endeavor, to the extent possible, to alleviate the suffering of the animal and to obtain the agreement of the applicant on appropriate care when he is in the presence or is informed of a sick or injured animal, which is at risk, of a species for which he possesses:

• Competence
• The technicality
• The right equipment
• Professional liability insurance covering the market value of the animal

In the absence of such an agreement or where he cannot respond to such a request, he shall inform the applicant of the alternative possibilities of taking charge of the animal by another veterinarian, or of a decision to be taken in the interest of the animal, in particular to avoid unjustified suffering.

Apart from these cases, the veterinarian may refuse to provide care for any other legitimate reason.

VI. His professional civil liability must be covered by an insurance contract adapted to the activity carried out.

Remuneration

The remuneration the veterinarian may not depend on criteria which would have the consequence of undermining his independence or the quality of his veterinary medicine procedures.

The veterinarian's fees are determined with tact and measure taking into account the nature of the care given and the particular circumstances. Their presentation must be explicit as regards the identity of the intervener(s) and the nature of the services provided by each. The recipient of the service must know in advance the act of medicine or surgery, as well as the main characteristics of the service, if they are not already apparent from the context.

Any practice that tends to lower the amount of remuneration for the purpose of competition is prohibited to the veterinarian if it compromises the quality of care. It shall provide the price of the service, where the price is determined beforehand or, failing that, a method for calculating that price or a quote for a given type of service.

The veterinarian must respond to any request for information about his fees or the cost of a treatment.

The billing of an act based on the result is prohibited.

Other provisions

It is prohibited to perform acts of animal medicine or surgery, free of charge or for payment, from which a natural or legal person not legally authorized to practice the veterinary profession and outside the contract of care can derive moral or material benefit.

This does not apply to the practice of animal medicine or surgery, by an employed veterinarian:

• Or an animal welfare association recognized as being of public benefit
• Or a foundation for the protection of animals
• Or a recognized producer group
• Or an approved agricultural trade association
• Or an approved health defense group
• Be a teacher in an accredited, private non-profit institution under contract with the State, as part of his teaching and research mission within that institution

Communication and information

Directories and periodicals

Where the contact details of a veterinarian or a business of practice appear in the list of a directory or in a periodical publication of any format, they shall include the following information:

• Name and surname of the veterinarian or the name of the veterinary care establishment or the words "home veterinarian"
• For veterinarians who do not practice at home, the address of the veterinary care establishment
• Telephone details

Websites

Any website intended to present the professional activity of a veterinarian must be declared to the regional council of the Order of the place of establishment of the administrative professional domicile.

The website cannot replace the relationship between the practitioner and his client. It preserves the confidentiality of personal information submitted by visitors to the site.

The webmaster is identified, and an email address or contact form is easily accessible on the site.

When the site contains information of a medical nature, this is dated and the source of the published information is cited. In this case, the identity of the writer(s) is specified.

Any claim about the benefits or harms of treatments is justified.

Communication media

The veterinary care facility is reported by one or more plates. This marking shall include the following:

• Surname and first names of the veterinarian
• Days and hours of consultation
• Telephone details
• How continuity and permanence of care is taken care of and, where there is one, the address and telephone number of the structure providing this service.

Veterinary care establishments, other than those run by animal welfare associations or foundations, shall be identified, as a minimum, by a signage characteristic represented by a white and blue, non-flashing, cross-shaped light sign, the total dimension of which is 65 centimeters long, 15 centimeters high and 15 centimeters thick.

Showcase

Any showcase of drugs, products and materials directly or indirectly related to the practice of the profession, visible from the public highway, is prohibited.

Communication to non-veterinary third parties

The Communication cannot encourage the use of a prescription veterinary medicinal product.

The grouping of tariff or promotional information relating to veterinary medicinal products even under cover of an associated technical communication shall be prohibited.

Veterinarians who provide 24-hour care can add the words “Veterinarian 24 hours a day” to their logo.

Consultant veterinarian and on-call service

Veterinary consultant

The veterinary consultant is a veterinarian who intervenes occasionally at the request of the practitioner who usually cares for the animal.

This punctual intervention is brought to the knowledge of the client, who consents to it.

The veterinary consultant may carry out his activity either at his own DPE or at that of the colleague or colleagues who have called on his services.

The name "veterinary consultant" does not constitute a professional title.

Every veterinarian is entitled to practice all acts of medicine and surgery of animals. However, a veterinarian must not undertake or pursue care or formulate prescriptions in areas beyond his knowledge, experience and means.

If necessary, the veterinarian who usually cares for an animal can refer the client to another veterinarian practitioner, general practitioner or specialist. The choice of this veterinary consultant is ultimately up to the client. In any event, the attending veterinarian shall make available to the consulting veterinarian the commemorative notes concerning the animal.

The veterinary consultant must report as soon as possible and in writing to the attending veterinarian who sent him this client.

Daycare

Veterinarians must participate in the continuity of care. The continuity of care can be ensured within the framework of an agreement established between veterinarians and deposited with the regional council of the Order.

In this context, veterinarians must inform the public of the conditions under which they ensure the continuity of animal care. In all cases, the veterinarian must:

• Respond to any request addressed to him either directly in his field of competence, or by addressing the client to a colleague
• Endeavor to gather all information concerning possible previous interventions by other colleagues
• Limit its intervention to acts justified by the emergency and encourage the owner or keeper of the animal to ensure the follow-up of emergency care by his usual attending veterinarian
• Report as soon as possible and in writing to the veterinarian as indicated by the owner or keeper of the animal.

When creating a daycare service that brings together several professional practice entities, one is established. It describes the different interventions with sick animals. It must be brought to the attention of the regional council of the Order.

Participation in businesses

Veterinarians may hold financial holdings in the businesses of any kind, provided, in the case of shareholdings in businesses connected with the practice of veterinary medicine, that they are brought to the attention of the College of Veterinarians.

Control is exercised by the Order. It aims to ensure that equity investments do not jeopardize the exercise the veterinary profession, in particular as regards:

• Health surveillance of livestock farms
• The independence of veterinarians
• Compliance with the rules inherent in the profession of veterinarian.

Compulsory absence or death

In the event of the compulsory absence or illness of a veterinarian, the service of his clientele may be provided by his associates, by a substitute or, in the event of impossibility, by his neighboring colleagues. They withdraw as soon as the unavailable veterinarian resumes his activity and inform him of the nature and continuation of their interventions.

In the event of the death or disappearance of a veterinarian, his associates and neighboring colleagues shall, for the time necessary, make themselves available to his heirs or legatees to ensure the continuity of customer service. They must enable the latter to take all appropriate measures to safeguard their interests.

After the death of a veterinarian or in the event of an impediment noted by the regional council of the Order, the customer service may be provided, under the control of the latter, by one or more veterinarians regularly registered on the roll of the Order for a period of at most one year from the death or impediment.

The regional council of the Order ensures respect for the rights of the spouse and the heirs or legatees.

After the one-year period, the ECD is deemed closed. However, if a child of the deceased or prevented veterinarian is, at the time of death or the finding of impediment, a pupil of a veterinary educational institution and manifests in writing, within 6 months, the intention to take over the clientele of his direct ascendant, the regional council of the Order may grant him the necessary time.

Additional time may also be granted to children of veterinarians, who hold a basic veterinary studies diploma, held by a professional contractual obligation not exceeding 2 years.

Communication with the Order

Change of domicile

Prior to any change in PAD or ECD without change in ordinal region, the veterinarian must make the declaration to the regional council of the Order to which he reports.

In the event that this change is accompanied by a change of ordinal region, the veterinarian must first ask the president of the regional council of the Order to which he belongs to transfer his registration to the roll of the regional council of the Order in the jurisdiction in which his new domicile will be located.

It shall, at the time of the request, provide the information enabling the regional council of the Order to which it belongs to assess the closure of the contracts in progress. The latter is responsible for transferring the finalized file to the regional council of the Order of the new professional domicile of the person concerned.

A veterinarian who changes his DPA or DPE shall communicate to the regional council of the Order in whose jurisdiction he proposes to exercise all information concerning his professional activity and in particular the contracts of association or work which he has entered into or intends to enter into on the occasion of this change.

Registration transfers are made immediately by the regional councils.

Cessation of activity

The veterinarian who ceases his professional activity must inform the regional council of the Order as soon as possible, indicating, if there is one, the name of its successor and, where it exists, the conditions of the non-compete clause.