Section 43-50-55. Posting notice of use of veterinary technicians; proper identification; limitation on number of technicians supervised and employed; exception

   (a) Any licensed veterinarian, animal clinic, or animal hospital using veterinary technicians shall post a notice to that effect in a prominent place.

(b) A veterinary technician must clearly identify himself or herself as such in order to ensure that he or she is not mistaken by the public as a licensed veterinarian. This may be accomplished, for example, by the wearing of an appropriate name tag. Any time the veterinary technician's name appears in a professional setting, his or her status must be shown as "veterinary technician."

(c) (1) No licensed veterinarian shall have more than four veterinary technicians on duty under his or her supervision at any one time.

   (2) No licensed veterinarian shall practice veterinary medicine at a veterinary facility when the number of veterinary technicians employed at such veterinary facility exceeds the number of licensed veterinarians regularly engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine at such veterinary facility by a ratio of more than 2:1.

   (3) The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall not apply to any licensed veterinarian engaged in a specialty practice if he or she is certified for such specialty practice by a college approved for such purpose by the American Veterinary Medical Association or its successor organization; provided, however, that no such licensed veterinarian shall engage in such specialty practice at a veterinary facility when the number of veterinary technicians employed at such veterinary facility exceeds the number of licensed veterinarians regularly engaged in a specialty practice of veterinary medicine at such veterinary facility by a ratio of more than 5:1.

Code 1981, § 43-50-55, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 705, § 1; Ga. L. 2003, p. 615, § 1-1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 30, § 3/HB 999.