(1) Upon a written complaint sworn to by any person, the board, in its sole discretion, may, after a hearing, revoke, suspend or limit for a certain time a license, impose an administrative fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each separate offense, or otherwise discipline any licensed veterinarian for any of the following reasons:
(a) The employment of fraud, misrepresentation or deception in obtaining a license.
(b) The inability to practice veterinary medicine with reasonable skill and safety because of a physical or mental disability, including deterioration of mental capacity, loss of motor skills or abuse of drugs or alcohol of sufficient degree to diminish the person's ability to deliver competent patient care.
(c) The use of advertising or solicitation that is false or misleading.
(d) Conviction of the following in any federal court or in the courts of this state or any other jurisdiction, regardless of whether the sentence is deferred:
(i) Any felony;
(ii) Any crime involving cruelty, abuse or neglect of animals, including bestiality;
(iii) Any crime of moral turpitude;
(iv) Any crime involving unlawful sexual contact, child abuse, the use or threatened use of a weapon, the infliction of injury, indecent exposure, perjury, false reporting, criminal impersonation, forgery and any other crime involving a lack of truthfulness, veracity or honesty, intimidation of a victim or witness, larceny, or alcohol or drugs.
For the purposes of this paragraph, a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo contendere accepted by the court shall be considered as a conviction.
(e) Incompetence, gross negligence or other malpractice in the practice of veterinary medicine.
(f) Aiding the unlawful practice of veterinary medicine.
(g) Fraud or dishonesty in the application or reporting of any test for disease in animals.
(h) Failure to report, as required by law, or making false or misleading report of, any contagious or infectious disease.
(i) Failure to keep accurate patient records.
(j) Dishonesty or gross negligence in the performance of food safety inspections or in the issuance of any health or inspection certificates.
(k) Failure to keep veterinary premises and equipment, including practice vehicles, in a clean and sanitary condition.
(l) Failure to permit the board or its agents to enter and inspect veterinary premises and equipment, including practice vehicles, as set by rules promulgated by the board.
(m) Revocation, suspension or limitation of a license to practice veterinary medicine by another state, territory or district of the United States.
(n) Loss or suspension of accreditation by any federal or state agency.
(o) Unprofessional conduct as defined in regulations adopted by the board.
(p) The dispensing, distribution, prescription or administration of any veterinary prescription drug, or the extralabel use of any drug in the absence of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
(q) Violations of state or federal drug laws.
(r) Violations of any order of the board.
(s) Violations of this chapter or of the rules promulgated under this chapter.
(t) Violation(s) of the provisions of Sections 41-121-1 through 41-121-9 relating to deceptive advertisement by health care practitioners. This paragraph shall stand repealed on July 1, 2025.
(2) A certified copy of any judgment of conviction or finding of guilt by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental agency, or agency authorized to issue licenses or permits, including the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Mississippi Board of Animal Health and the Mississippi Board of Health, of a veterinarian or veterinary technician of any matters listed in this section shall be admissible in evidence in any hearing held by the board to discipline such veterinarian or technician and shall constitute prima facie evidence of the commission of any such act.
Credits
Added by Laws 2005, Ch. 421, § 14, eff. July 1, 2005; reenacted by Laws 2008, Ch. 447, § 14, eff. from and after passage (approved April 8, 2008). Amended by Laws 2012, Ch. 409, § 15, eff. July 1, 2012; Laws 2016, Ch. 419 (H.B. No. 489), § 15, eff. July 1, 2016; Laws 2020, H.B. No. 686, § 14, eff. July 1, 2020.