This chapter shall not apply to:

1. The owner of an animal and the owner's full-time, regular employee caring for and treating the animal belonging to such owner, except where the ownership of the animal was transferred for the purpose of circumventing the requirements of this chapter;

2. Veterinarians licensed in other states called in actual consultation with veterinarians licensed in the Commonwealth who do not open an office or appoint a place to practice within the Commonwealth;

3. Veterinarians employed by the United States or by the Commonwealth while actually engaged in the performance of their official duties, with the exception of those engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, pursuant to § 54.1-3800, as part of a veterinary medical education program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education and located in the Commonwealth;

4. Veterinarians providing free care in underserved areas of Virginia who (i) do not regularly practice veterinary medicine in Virginia, (ii) hold a current valid license or certificate to practice veterinary medicine in another state, territory, district, or possession of the United States, (iii) volunteer to provide free care in an underserved area of the Commonwealth under the auspices of a publicly supported all volunteer, nonprofit organization that sponsors the provision of health care to populations of underserved people, (iv) file copies of their licenses or certificates issued in such other jurisdiction with the Board, (v) notify the Board at least five business days prior to the voluntary provision of services of the dates and location of such service, and (vi) acknowledge, in writing, that such licensure exemption shall only be valid, in compliance with the Board's regulations, during the limited period that such free health care is made available through the volunteer, nonprofit organization on the dates and at the location filed with the Board. The Board may deny the right to practice in Virginia to any veterinarian whose license has been previously suspended or revoked, who has been convicted of a felony, or who is otherwise found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations. However, the Board shall allow a veterinarian who meets the above criteria to provide volunteer services without prior notice for a period of up to three days, provided the nonprofit organization verifies that the practitioner has a valid, unrestricted license in another state; or

5. Persons purchasing, possessing, and administering drugs and biological products in a public or private animal shelter as defined in § 3.2-6500, provided that such purchase, possession, and administration is in compliance with § 54.1-3423.

Code 1950, § 54-786; c. 574; 1978, c. 539; 1988, c. 765; 2002, c. 740; 2008, c. 674; 2009, cc. 149, 169; 2014, c. 148; 2016, cc. 306, 479; 2018, c. 774.