Position Statement
Published: March 2015
Revised: April 2020
Introduction
This Position Statement describes the position of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario regarding the reporting by veterinarians of animal abuse and neglect. The reporting of actual or suspected abuse or neglect of animals may be necessary to protect the health and welfare of animals and people. It is the responsibility of other legislated organizations to investigate such reports.
Position Statement
Veterinarians have a legal and ethical obligation to report animal abuse or neglect.
Veterinarians are mandated to report when there are reasonable grounds to believe that an animal is being abused, being subject to undue physical or psychological hardship, privation or neglect, including by participating in fights with other animals, or is being trained to fight another animal to a provincial animal welfare inspector (Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 13, s 14).
Making a professional judgement of abuse, physical or psychological hardship, privation or neglect of an animal(s) is challenging. No single indicator is often sufficient to enable a veterinarian to establish reasonable grounds to believe that an animal is suffering from abuse or neglect. Reasonable grounds arise from first-hand information and/or detailed reports, and refers to the facts or circumstances which would cause a person of ordinary and prudent judgment to have a strong belief beyond a weakly substantiated suspicion, but less than a certainty.1 The College further interprets reasonable grounds to include information acquired during the veterinarian’s assessment of the animal or herd and/or discussion with the owner/custodian/caregiver that could lead him/her to suspect abuse, physical or psychological hardship, privation or neglect.
Regulation 1093 does not expressly require that veterinarians release confidential information about clients and/or animals in cases of suspected abuse. However, the Regulation permits veterinarians to release information concerning a client, an animal, or any professional service performed for an animal, to any person other than the client or another member treating the animal when required or authorized to do so by law, which is inclusive of appropriate release to a provincial animal welfare inspector.
Legislative Authority
Veterinarians Act, R.S.O. 1990, s. 30(4) R.R.O. 1990,
Reg. 1093: General s. 17(1) (Veterinarians Act)
Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 13
Resources
The following can be found at the College website at cvo.org:
Legislative Overview: Mandatory Reporting
Other References
The following can be found on the Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association website:
Animal Abuse
The following documents and websites may also be useful:
Arkow, P., Boyden, P. and Patterson-Kane, E. (2011). Practical Guidance for the Effective Response by Veterinarians to Suspected Animal Cruelty, Abuse and Neglect, Schaumburg, IL: American Medical Veterinary Association.
British Veterinary Associations, Abuse in Animals and Humans.
College publications contain practice parameters and standards which should be considered by all Ontario veterinarians in the care of their patients and in the practice of the profession. College publications are developed in consultation with the profession and describe current professional expectations. It is important to note that these College publications may be used by the College or other bodies in determining whether appropriate standards of practice and professional responsibilities have been maintained. The College encourages you to refer to the website (www.cvo.org) to ensure you are referring to the most recent version of any document.