{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-321.185","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 321.185","heading":"Veterinarian-client-patient relationship.","body":"(1) In order for a veterinarian to practice veterinary medicine, a relationship among the\nveterinarian, the client, and the patient shall be established and maintained. The\nveterinarian-client-patient relationship or VCPR is the basis for veterinary care and\nmeans that:\n(a) The veterinarian and the client or other caretaker of the patient both agree for\nthe veterinarian to assume responsibility for making medical judgments\nregarding the health of the animal;\n(b) There is sufficient knowledge of the animal by th e veterinarian to initiate at\nleast a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the\nanimal. This means that within the previous twelve (12) months the\nveterinarian either physically examined the animal or made a medically\nappropriate in-person visit to the premises where the animal is kept; and\n(c) The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for providing follow -up care and\ncontinuation of care to the patient, except in cases where the veterinarian has:\n1. Arranged for or contracted for e mergency care or urgent care coverage\nby another veterinarian who can provide reasonable and appropriate\nmedical care and has notified the client how to access emergency care;\nor\n2. Notified the client of an available registered facility that can provide\nreasonable and appropriate medical care.\n(2) The VCPR may extend to another veterinarian employed in the same registered\nfacility who is licensed to practice veterinary medicine within the Commonwealth,\nso long as the other Kentucky -licensed veterinarian has sufficient knowledge in the\nmedical record to make a decision.\n(3) The veterinarian shall maintain records that document patient visits, diagnosis,\ntreatment, and other relevant information, as required by KRS 321.187.\n(4) (a) A veterinarian shall not violate the confidential relationship between the\nveterinarian and the veterinarian's client. Consultation by the veterinarian with\nanother veterinarian or professional expert for the benefit of the patient shall\nnot constitute a violation of confidentiality.\n(b) A veterinarian shall not release information concerning a client or care of a\nclient's animal, except:\n1. On the veterinarian's receipt of:\na. A written authorization or other form of waiver executed by the\nclient; or\nb. An appropriate court order or subpoena;\n2. In cases of animal abuse, pursuant to KRS 321.188;\n3. In cases of reportable diseases as they relate to public or animal health\npursuant to KRS 257.080 and 258.065 and the administrative\nregulations promulgated under the authority of those statutes;\n4. Other exceptions established in KRS 321.187 and 321.200; or\n5. Upon request from the board.\n(c) A veterinarian who releases information under paragraph (b) of this\nsubsection shall not be liable to any person, includin g the client, for an action\nresulting from the disclosure.\n(d) The privilege provided by this subsection is waived by the client or the owner\nof an animal treated by the veterinarian to the extent the client or owner places\nat issue in a civil or criminal proceeding:\n1. The nature and extent of the animal's injuries; or\n2. The care and treatment of the animal provided by the veterinarian.\n(e) This subsection shall not apply to:\n1. An inspection or investigation conducted by the board or an agent of the\nboard; or\n2. The veterinary reporting requirements and regulatory authority of the\nKentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation to inspect, investigate,\nand supervise horses and other participants in horse racing as provided\nby KRS Chapter 230 and the administ rative regulations promulgated\nunder KRS Chapter 230, or any other state or federal law applicable to\nthe regulation of horse racing in the Commonwealth.\n(5) Veterinarians providing copies of records under this section may charge no more\nthan the actual cost of copying, including reasonable staff time.\n(6) A licensed veterinarian who in good faith engages in the practice of veterinary\nmedicine by rendering or attempting to render emergency care or urgent care to an\nanimal when a client cannot be identified shall not be subject to penalty based\nsolely on the veterinarian's inability to establish a VCPR with an owner or the\nowner's representative.\n(7) A VCPR shall not be established solely by telehealth means. In the absence of a\nVCPR, any advice provided through telehealth shall be general and not specific to a\npatient, diagnosis, or treatment. Veterinary telemedicine shall only be conducted\nwithin an existing VCPR, with the exception for advice given in an emergency care\nsituation until that patient can be seen in person by a licensed veterinarian.","path":["KRS Chapter 321"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54744","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:16Z","sha256":"cdbf925ef050e5f72486242641971a198486475c9cbf8cf41b5a7ed3a740dbfa","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-321.181","next":"us-ky/krs-321.186"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}