In the course of your veterinary practice, you may on occasion find yourself in a situation where you are dealing with an animal that has been abused, neglected or needs veterinary care due to being in distress and the owner is either unable or unwilling to provide that care. On this page, you will find resources relating to the veterinarians “duty to report” an animal that is in “distress” as defined by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act.) Specifically, you will find clarification on the BC SPCA’s interpretation of Section 22.1 (Duty to Report) of the PCA Act.
Additionally, you will find information relating to tail docking and dental disease and when it would be appropriate report distress in these cases.
