Sec. 15.14.01.05. Choice and Selection of Patients

A. Non-emergency Presentation.A veterinarian may choose whom he will serve.Once a veterinarian has undertaken care of a patient, and a veterinarian-client-patient relationship has been established, the veterinarian may not neglect the patient.

B. Emergency Presentation.In an emergency, a veterinarian should render service to the best of the veterinarian’s ability, but this does not require a veterinarian to accept financial responsibility for the care and treatment of any animal.The following procedures may be performed during an emergency without such actions constituting the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship:

(1) Initial evaluation;

(2) Diagnostics to assist in the initial evaluation; or

(3) Initial treatments to stabilize a patient.