Animal Welfare Act and complementary treatments

muddypaws

I've just had a phone conversation with someone who informed me that complementary treatments, such as physio and hydrotherapy on animals may now be illegal in Ireland under the new animal welfare act, unless carried out by a Vet. Also that microchipping can only be done by a vet, or in a breeder's own home under the new act, so microchipping days at pet shops etc may also be illegal. I'm going to have a chat with my own vet about it, but just wondered if anyone on here had spoken to any vets or someone from Dept of Ag about it.

time lord

muddypaws wrote: »

I've just had a phone conversation with someone who informed me that complementary treatments, such as physio and hydrotherapy on animals may now be illegal in Ireland under the new animal welfare act, unless carried out by a Vet. Also that microchipping can only be done by a vet, or in a breeder's own home under the new act, so microchipping days at pet shops etc may also be illegal. I'm going to have a chat with my own vet about it, but just wondered if anyone on here had spoken to any vets or someone from Dept of Ag about it.

I only know about the microchipping. It is only a vet at the moment that is authorised to do it regardless of someone who is not a vet being capable.
It can also be a prescribed person but to be a prescribed person one must be named by the minister. Nobody or profession outside of vets have been.
This may change. I did a days refresher course last week on dog control etc and this topic came up. One of the buzz phrases of the day was 'a vetinary prescribed practice' anyway just passing it on

tk123

If that's true my vets are going to kick themselves for closing down their hydro lol!!!

andreac

That's madness. Why would you need to be a vet to do hydro??

Most of the hydro places have people qualified to do it so I'm not sure why there would be an issue there.

boomerang

time lord wrote: »

I only know about the microchipping. It is only a vet at the moment that is authorised to do it regardless of someone who is not a vet being capable.

Vet nurses are allowed.

time lord

boomerang wrote: »

Vet nurses are allowed.

Allowed by who?

boomerang

The Veterinary Council.

time lord

boomerang wrote: »

The Veterinary Council.

Only if a vet is on premises I'd say. Past president of the vetinary council of Ireland on the course too. He spoke about about this topic authoritively and said it is only vets who are authorised under the act. I would say (but it's only my opinion) that yes vetinary nurses where a vet is on premises would be acting on the vets behalf. All a bit silly but we are talking a bit of law and legislation here not what is necessarily practicle or practiced or adhered too.

boomerang

It seems to be a grey area - I've emailed the VCI a week back but no reply yet. Probably going to have to write to them! AFAIK a vet nurse can microchip independently of a veterinary practice provided it is not for personal gain.

ETA: Just occurred to me: maybe it is horses that can only be chipped by a vet. That makes a lot of sense.

muddypaws

I'm also awaiting a reply from VCI.

So has it always been illegal, and a blind eye has been turned, or has it changed now under the new legislation time lord? Interestingly I saw a rescue on FB asking for someone to collect some vaccines for them, so I'm guessing they vaccinate themselves, which again, I would assume should only be done by a vet?

I'm more interested in the stuff like physio, hydro etc, there is a clause in the legislation that seems to cover it, but, I don't have any legal training, and it could be read that it is still ok with training. However, as far as I'm aware, there is no training available in Ireland, so anybody that is qualified has done it in the UK, do the VCI recognise those qualifications? The qualifications are accredited, but not through BVA, so difficult to know if VCI would recognise them.

This is from the Animal Welfare Act 2013.

16.—(1) A person shall not carry out, or cause or permit another
person to carry out, on an animal, an operation or procedure which
involves interference with, or the removal of, the sensitive tissue or
the bone structure of the animal—
(a) for a purpose other than veterinary treatment, unless the
operation or procedure is carried out in accordance
with—
(i) animal health and welfare regulations, or
(ii) regulations under section 54A (inserted by section 2
of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Act 2012)
of the Veterinary Practice Act 2005,

Its the sensitive tissue bit that I think would include physio etc, but, if a person has a qualification from an accredited body, would that be acceptable? All very confusing.

thegreatgonzo

muddypaws wrote: »

I've just had a phone conversation with someone who informed me that complementary treatments, such as physio and hydrotherapy on animals may now be illegal in Ireland under the new animal welfare act, unless carried out by a Vet. Also that microchipping can only be done by a vet, or in a breeder's own home under the new act, so microchipping days at pet shops etc may also be illegal. I'm going to have a chat with my own vet about it, but just wondered if anyone on here had spoken to any vets or someone from Dept of Ag about it.

My understanding is that animals must first be referred to a physiotherapist/hydrotherapist by a vet who does the initial diagnosis and then a treatment plan is created between the two. Are you saying this is to be changed?
In the UK at the moment there's questions over the quality of the physio training on offer and there's calls for more regulation over there which I suppose might affect the status of some people practising physio in Ireland now.
I was told only vets and vns are allowed to do microchipping even though lots of non vets/vns have done training that would be recognised in the north under their legislation. I think this would come under the veterinary practice act though not the animal welfare act

muddypaws

thegreatgonzo wrote: »

My understanding is that animals must first be referred to a physiotherapist/hydrotherapist by a vet who does the initial diagnosis and then a treatment plan is created between the two. Are you saying this is to be changed?
In the UK at the moment there's questions over the quality of the physio training on offer and there's calls for more regulation over there which I suppose might affect the status of some people practising physio in Ireland now.
I was told only vets and vns are allowed to do microchipping even though lots of non vets/vns have done training that would be recognised in the north under their legislation. I think this would come under the veterinary practice act though not the animal welfare act

Thats the impression I got from the phone conversation, but it was with a 'lay person', just from them talking to a vet, so will wait and see what the VCI come back with.

thegreatgonzo

It's hard to get the right information sometimes. I've applied to do a physio course in England but since I read about the calls for standardisation in training I'm not sure if I should go ahead or wait a while to do the course.