Handbook for Veterinary Officers in India on Animal Welfare Laws
The veterinarian is a professional who practices veterinary medicine by treating diseases, disorders, and injuries in non-human animals. Globally educational qualification of Veterinarians includes either Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH) or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). In India the degree awarded is BVSc&AH with focus both on Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry . Therefore, in the Indian context, the role of Veterinarian in animal welfare is very broad. It includes not only prevention and treatment of diseases or injuries, but also animal nutrition, production, management, extension etc – a combination of bio-veterinary, husbandry, physical and social sciences to the problems associated with animal welfare.
Veterinary Oath (India)
‘Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge. I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence’
The earlier Veterinarian’s oath did not make Veterinarians responsible to ensure adequate animal welfare, nor was there any reference to promoting good animal welfare. The revised and amended oath clearly identifies animal welfare as one of the top priorities of the veterinary profession. It makes it clear that Veterinarians have responsibilities not only for animals’ health, but also for their welfare. In addition, the revised oath extends the veterinarian’s approach toward animal welfare from one of ‘treatment’ only to one of ‘prevention and treatment’. Further the revised oath is a reactive, rather than proactive, approach to protecting animal welfare (Scott Nolen, 2010).
Key Welfare Obligations under Veterinarian’s Oath
The Veterinarian’s Oath emphasizes a veterinarian’s many obligations to animal welfare in production, para-clinical, clinical and preventive aspects of veterinary science and animal husbandry
Animal Welfare Obligations to Veterinarians under the Oath
i) Obligation to the animal kingdom and their conservation : The obligation of protecting the health of animals, preventing disease, advocacy on animal welfare, minimizing their pain and suffering, and the conservation of animal resources
ii) Obligation to the promotion of animal welfare, prevention and relief of animal suffering: The revised and amended Veterinarian’s Oath clearly identified animal welfare as a priority of the veterinary profession. The oath further means a veterinarian must be a proponent of animal welfare, prevention and relief of animal suffering, the protection of animals from inhumane treatment and neglect.
iii) Obligation to the public health: By prevention and treatment of animal diseases, Veterinarians are also preventing communicable diseases, thus protecting public health.
iv) Lifelong professional obligation: By continued improvement of professional knowledge and competence, Veterinarians have a lifelong obligation not only to protect animal health but also welfare; to not only relieve animal suffering but to prevent it.
v) Animal welfare extension education obligation: Extension obligation involves communication of animal welfare information to help people form sound opinions and make good decisions in favour of animal welfare based on science. The need for animal welfare extension has grown out due to the increased societal concerns on animal welfare.
Therefore, Veterinarians have an important extension obligation to play in protecting animal wellbeing. Animal welfare extension is the best method for inducing change among people in the process of implementation of animal welfare measures and standards.
Handbook for Veterinary Officers in India on Animal Welfare Laws
Handbook for Veterinary Officers on Animal Welfare Laws
