Enforcement of the Revised Veterinary Act... Gyeonggi-do to Conduct Comprehensive Inspections of Animal Hospitals Starting Next Month

From August 1 to September 8, 386 Animal Hospitals in Gyeonggi-do
Mandatory Written Consent with Prior Explanation for Major Treatments such as Surgery
Fines up to 1 Million Won for Violations of the Law

Photo materials [Asia Economy DB]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] With the enforcement of the first measure of the 'Revised Veterinarian Act,' which mandates prior explanation and written consent for major treatments such as surgeries on companion animals starting from the 5th, Gyeonggi Province will conduct a comprehensive inspection of animal hospitals within the province for six weeks beginning August 1 as a follow-up measure.

According to the province on the 29th, the inspection targets are 386 animal hospitals out of 1,249 within the province, excluding those already inspected in the first half of the year.

The main focus of the inspection is whether veterinarians provide prior explanations to animal owners regarding the diagnosis, necessity and methods of treatment, expected side effects and sequelae, and owner compliance requirements before obtaining written consent when performing 'major treatments' such as surgeries.

The scope of 'major treatments' includes surgeries involving internal organs, bones, and joints accompanied by general anesthesia, as well as blood transfusions requiring general anesthesia.

Violations will result in fines of up to 1 million KRW, but if the delay in major treatment poses a risk to the animal’s life or may cause disability, consent may be obtained after treatment.

Other key inspection items include input into the veterinarian prescription management system, proper issuance of prescriptions, recording and preservation of medical records, and checking for false advertising. Education on the mandatory disclosure of medical costs, which will be enforced from January 5 next year, will also be provided.

In particular, rather than a simple point-out approach, the inspections will take the form of 'guidance and inspection,' where each hospital will be thoroughly explained the areas needing improvement according to the revised law and be required to comply.

Furthermore, the inspection results will be carefully analyzed, and hospitals with deficiencies will be encouraged to make improvements through occasional inspections until the end of the year. If serious violations are found, administrative actions will be taken according to relevant regulations.

Kim Jong-hoon, Director of the Animal Quarantine and Hygiene Division of the province, stated, "Through the comprehensive inspection of animal hospitals, we aim to ensure the early establishment of the revised Veterinarian Act provisions and guarantee the rights of animal hospital users to be informed and to choose their treatment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.