{"":null}
Emergency Law Inventory | Full Law Text

Law Number

ALM GL ch. 112 58A

Summary Title

Good Samaritan Law: Veterinarian

Summary

A registered veterinarian who, in good faith and without compensation, provides, or attempts to provide, emergency care to an animal outside their ordinary course of practice will not be held legally responsible for acting or failing to act. A veterinarian is not responsible for hospital expenses if they hospitalize an animal who received emergency care. This legal protection is not limited to veterinarians registered in Massachusetts. Generally, Good Samaritan laws only offer protection for those individuals who provide care during spontaneous emergencies unrelated to volunteer deployment.

Full Title

Veterinarians Rendering Emergency Care to Animals; Civil Liability

Full Text

Any veterinarian duly registered under the provisions of section fifty–five, or who is a resident of another state or in the District of Columbia and duly registered therein who, in good faith, as a volunteer and without fee, renders emergency care or treatment to an animal other than in the ordinary course of his practice shall not be liable in a suit for damages as a result of his acts or omissions which may occur during such emergency care or treatment, nor shall he be liable to any animal hospital for its expenses if under such emergency conditions he orders an animal hospitalized or causes his admission to such hospital.

Save as PDF Back to Laws