(a) The Board may:
(1) Adopt rules and regulations to effectuate this subtitle;
(2) Engage additional employees for professional, clerical, and special
work as necessary and as provided in the State budget;
(3) Subpoena any witness to take his testimony;
(4) Require production of books, papers, records, and other documentary
evidence, and examine them in relation to any matter which the Board
may investigate or hear; and
(5) Establish reasonable standards for the practice of veterinary medicine,
including conduct and ethics.
(b) Members or their designated inspectors may enter veterinary facilities
at any reasonable hour to enforce the Board rules and regulations.
(c) The Board shall maintain an office within the State and a telephone
number listed for use by the general public.
(d) The Board shall inspect every veterinary hospital facility in the State
at least once a year.
(e) (1) The Board may authorize the practice of a health occupation on an
animal by a health care practitioner licensed, certified, or otherwise
authorized under the Health Occupations Article.
(2) If the Board authorizes the practice of a health occupation on an
animal under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Board may:
(i) Impose requirements for education, training, and supervision by a
veterinary practitioner; and
(ii) Require the registration of each health care practitioner authorized to
practice a health occupation on an animal in accordance with this
subsection.
(f) (1) The Board shall adopt regulations encouraging a veterinary practitioner
to report suspected instances of animal cruelty, including suspected
animal fighting, to a local law enforcement or county animal control
agency.
(2) A veterinary practitioner shall be immune from any civil liability that
results from a report in good faith to a local law enforcement or
county animal control agency under this subsection.
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