The Animal Health and Welfare Law: the veterinary statement as evidence and the role of veterinarians in legal procedures

Every veterinarian can be confronted with the request from a law enforcement agency to conduct a veterinary examination based on the Animal Health and Welfare Act and to produce a written report of that examination. This Veterinary Statement can be used in court. The Veterinary Statement is an important piece of evidence, so it should be formulated with care. The veterinarian in charge must be aware of the requirements that the Veterinary Statement must meet and the legal procedures that must be followed.