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Emergency Law Inventory | Full Law Text

Law Number

MCLS 333.18826

Summary Title

Good Samaritan Act: Veterinarian and Veterinary Technician

Summary

A veterinarian or veterinary technician, who provides emergency care to an animal when the owner in unknown or are not able to contact the owners will not be held legally responsible for acting or failing to act. They can be held legally responsible if acting with extreme carelessness or intent to cause harm. Generally, Good Samaritan laws only offer protection for those individuals who provide care during spontaneous emergencies unrelated to volunteer deployment.

Full Title

Veterinarian or veterinary technician; civil liability for acts or omissions; immunity; applicability; notice

Full Text

(1) A veterinarian or veterinary technician is not liable for civil damages as a result of the acts or omissions described in subsection (2) if both of the following apply: (a) The animal has been brought to the veterinarian or veterinary technician by a person other than the owner of the animal. (b) The veterinarian or veterinary technician does not know who owns the animal or is unable to contact the owner of the animal before a decision must be made with respect to emergency treatment or euthanasia. (2) The immunity granted by this section applies to both of the following: (a) An injury to an animal or death of an animal that results from acts or omissions by the veterinarian or veterinary technician in providing treatment to the animal. (b) The euthanasia of a seriously injured or seriously ill animal. (3) This section does not apply to an act or omission by a veterinarian or veterinary technician amounting to gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct in providing treatment to an animal. (4) A veterinarian or veterinary technician shall notify the animal control authority in the county in which the animal is found of the disposition of the treatment rendered to the animal before the end of the first business day following the day treatment is rendered.

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