Consultation on acts of veterinary medicine in Western Australia

04 Mar 2022

Member feedback is sought on the WA Government consultation paper. Feedback will inform the AVA submission and can be provided to Troy Reeves, Senior Advocacy Officer by 17 March 2022.

The Veterinary Practice Act 2021 (WA) was passed by State Parliament in October last year. The Government are now in the process of developing the regulations that will sit under the Act.

They are currently conducting a public consultation on what should be defined as ‘acts of veterinary medicine’. This list will govern which veterinary procedures can be done only by registered veterinarians. The consultation also discusses regulation of those procedures that may be performed by non-veterinarians and in what circumstances they are allowed. Specifically, this looks at cattle pregnancy testing and cattle spaying.

The new Act defines veterinary medicine as:

  • diagnosing diseases or physiological conditions in, and injuries to, animals
  • medical treatment of animals
  • performing surgical procedures on animals
  • administering anaesthetics to animals

In addition to this, WA Government consultation paper details the following proposed ‘acts of veterinary medicine’:

  • stomach tubing or naso-oesophageal intubation of horses
  • pregnancy testing of horses and camelids by rectal examination*
  • microchipping of any animal other than a cat or dog* (these are dealt with under the Cat Act 2011 and the Dog Act 1976)
  • sampling of tissue from live animals
  • uterine swabbing of horses*
  • ova or embryo transplants*
  • laparoscopic insemination*
  • general anaesthesia*
  • the carrying out of any treatment, procedure or test that involves the insertion of anything in the nasal passage, nasal sinuses, thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity, cranial cavity, spinal cavity, tooth alveolar cavity, eye, orbital cavity, tympanic cavity, joint spaces or any other synovial cavity of any animal
  • the performing on any animal of any dental procedure that involves:
    • making an incision through the skin or oral mucosa or entry below the gum line
    • extracting a tooth by repulsion
    • or any other activity to maintain or restore correct dental function (except basic hand filing and rasping performed by a person with an appropriate Certificate IV qualification)
    • the performing on a horse of any dental procedure that involves the use of a power tool
  • signing any certificate or other document prescribed by or under any Act which requires the signature of a veterinary surgeon or veterinary officer in respect of the certification of disease status, including freedom from disease of any animal or animal product
  • signing a certificate of pregnancy status for any animal
  • signing a certificate of spayed status for any animal
  • acupuncture procedures*.

(* the asterisk identifies procedures that are currently acts of veterinary medicine in WA).

Additional sections of the consultation paper look at regulatory options for:

  • pregnancy testing of cattle
  • spaying of cattle

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