Maine § 32 §4877 Veterinarian-client-patient relationship required; Good Samaritan exception

Maine Statutes

§ 32 §4877 — Veterinarian-client-patient relationship required; Good Samaritan exception

Maine § 32 §4877

Title 32PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Ch. 71-AMAINE VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT OF 1975

This text of Maine § 32 §4877 (Veterinarian-client-patient relationship required; Good Samaritan exception) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 32, § 32 §4877 (2026).

Text

In order to practice veterinary medicine, a veterinarian must be engaged in a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists when a veterinarian:

1.Engaged by client. Has been engaged by the client;

2.Assumed responsibility. Has assumed responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the patient;

3.Knowledge of patient. Has sufficient knowledge of the patient to initiate a preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the patient and has personal knowledge of the keeping and care of the patient as a result of:

4.Follow-up evaluation. Is readily available for follow-up evaluation or has arranged for veterinary emergency coverage and continuing care and treatment; and

5.Records. Maintains patient records. A licensed ve

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In order to practice veterinary medicine, a veterinarian must be engaged in a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists when a veterinarian:
1.
Engaged by client.
Has been engaged by the client;
2.
Assumed responsibility.
Has assumed responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the patient;
3.
Knowledge of patient.
Has sufficient knowledge of the patient to initiate a preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the patient and has personal knowledge of the keeping and care of the patient as a result of:
4.
Follow-up evaluation.
Is readily available for follow-up evaluation or has arranged for veterinary emergency coverage and continuing care and treatment; and
5.
Records.
Maintains patient records.
A licensed veterinarian who in good faith engages in the practice of veterinary medicine by rendering or attempting to render emergency care to a patient when a client cannot be identified and a veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not established is not subject to any disciplinary sanctions authorized by Title 10, section 8003, subsection 5‑A based solely upon the veterinarian's inability to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.