As Amended
SEC. 73-39-2. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases have the following meanings unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Abandonment" means to forsake entirely, or to neglect, or to refuse to provide for or to perform the legal or contractual obligation for the care and support of an animal, and such abandonment shall constitute a relinquishment of all rights and claims of the owner of an animal after notice is given as herein provided.
(b) "Animal" means any animal other than man, and includes birds, reptiles and fish, wild or domestic, living or dead.
(c) "Animal technician" is a person approved by the Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine to perform acts relating to the maintenance of health in or medical treatment of any animal within the State of Mississippi and provided further, that the performance of such acts shall be directly and immediately supervised by a veterinarian duly licensed to practice in the State of Mississippi. No animal technician may diagnose, perform surgery or prescribe medicine.
(d) "Board" means the Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine.
(e) "Complainant" means the board or any other person who initiates a proceeding.
(f) "Hearing" means any proceeding initiated before the board in which the legal rights, duties, privileges or immunities of a specific party or parties are determined.
(g) "License" means any permit, approval, registration or certificate issued by the board.
(h) "Respondent" is any person against whom a proceeding is initiated.
(i) "Responsible supervision" or words of similar purport means the control, direction and regulation by a veterinarian of the duties involved in the practice of veterinary medicine which he delegates to his unlicensed personnel.
(j) "Rule" means any regulation adopted by the board to govern its duties, functions, organization and procedure.
(k) "School of veterinary medicine" means any school or college, whose course of study is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association or any college or school that the board is able to determine that the curriculum is equal to or greater than the curriculum of colleges or schools accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
(l) "Temporary permit" means temporary permission to practice veterinary medicine issued pursuant to this chapter.
(m) "Unprofessional or unethical conduct" means, among other things, any conduct of a character likely to deceive or defraud the public, unethical advertising, obtaining any fee or compensation by fraud or misrepresentation, sharing office space with any person illegally practicing veterinary medicine, employing, either directly or indirectly, any unlicensed person to practice veterinary medicine or render any veterinary service except as herein provided, or the violation of any rule adopted by the board.
(n) "Veterinarian" means a person who has received a doctor's degree in veterinary medicine from a school of veterinary medicine and is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state.
(o) "Veterinary medicine" includes veterinary surgery, obstetrics, dentistry and all other branches or specialties of veterinary medicine.
SOURCES: Laws, 1977, ch. 336, Sec. 1; reenacted, 1980, ch. 545, Sec. 2; 1982, ch. 397, Sec. 1; reenacted, 1988, ch. 340, Sec. 2, eff from and after July 1, 1988.