Prohibition on practice without registration

(1) No person shall engage in the practice of veterinary surgery or hold himself out as engaging in the practice of veterinary surgery unless that person is registered under this Act. (2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to prevent, (a) a person from rendering first aid or temporary assistance in an emergency without fee; 31 (b) a person from treating an animal if the person is the owner of the animal, is a member of the household of the owner of the animal or is employed for general agricultural or domestic work by the owner of the animal; (c) a person from taking blood samples; (d) a person who is a regular student in a Board approved university, college or institution of veterinary medicine and surgery performing any duties assigned to him by his instructors, or working under the direct supervision of a registered veterinary surgeon during a school vacation period; (e) a person giving advice with respect to or performing acts which the Board by rule has prescribed as accepted live stock management practices; (f) a veterinary surgeon regularly licensed or registered in another country consulting with a registered veterinary surgeon in Belize; (g) any merchant or manufacturer selling at his regular place of business, medicines, feeds, appliances, or other products used in the prevention or treatment of animal disease, provided that merchant or manufacturer has a valid permit to sell such veterinary medicines and biologicals; (h) the owner of an animal and the owner’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 purposes of circumventing this Act; 32 (i) a veterinary surgeon lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations in connection with a continuing education course or seminar; (j) any person selling or applying any pesticide, insecticide or herbicide provided that proper procedures are utilised when selling or applying such pesticide, insecticide or herbicide; (k) any person who has approval from the Board for performing artificial insemination or embryo transfer with respect to animals; (l) any animal health assistant employed by a registered veterinary surgeon performing duties other than diagnosis, prescription or surgery under the direction and supervision of such veterinary surgeon who shall be responsible for his performance. (3) For the purposes of this Act, proof of the performance of one act in the practice of veterinary medicine on one occasion is sufficient to establish engaging in the practice of veterinary surgery.