| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to animal service providers; amending s. |
| 3 | 474.203, F.S.; providing that certain independent |
| 4 | contractors administering certain nonmedical health care |
| 5 | services to animals are exempt from ch. 474, F.S., |
| 6 | relating to veterinary medical practice, subject to |
| 7 | certain requirements; providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 474.203, |
| 12 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 13 | 474.203 Exemptions.--This chapter shall not apply to: |
| 14 | (9) An independent contractor who, under the supervision |
| 15 | of a person who is administering to the ills or injuries of his |
| 16 | or her own livestock, herd, or avian animals, provides |
| 17 | nonmedical health care services to the animals, including, but |
| 18 | not limited to, acupressure, aromatherapy, animal communication, |
| 19 | farriery, flower essence therapy, homeopathy, light therapy, |
| 20 | magnet therapy, massage therapy, hydrotherapy, nutritional |
| 21 | counseling, debeaking, dehorning, and manual equine teeth |
| 22 | floating. The owner of a herd animal raised for food or fiber |
| 23 | may engage an independent contractor to provide routine herd |
| 24 | management tasks, including, but not limited to, castration and |
| 25 | parasite control. An independent contractor who provides |
| 26 | nonmedical health care services for animals and is not a |
| 27 | veterinarian shall: |
| 28 | (a) Obtain an occupational license from his or her county |
| 29 | of residence. |
| 30 | (b) Advise each owner of an animal that will be treated of |
| 31 | his or her knowledge or experience with the services that will |
| 32 | be provided. |
| 33 | (c) Provide his or her credentials upon the request of |
| 34 | each owner of an animal that will be treated. |
| 35 | (d) Refrain from engaging in animal cruelty. |
| 36 | (e) Refrain from advertising in any way that implies that |
| 37 | he or she is a veterinarian. |
| 38 |
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| 39 | For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt |
| 40 | pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) |
| 41 | are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the |
| 42 | laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies. |
| 43 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |