{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-90-187.8","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-187.8","heading":"Discipline of licensees.","body":"(a)\tUpon complaint or information, and within the Board's discretion, the Board may revoke or suspend a license issued under this Article, may otherwise discipline a person licensed under this Article, or may deny a license required by this Article in accordance with the provisions of this Article, Board rules, and Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. As used in this section, the word \"license\" includes a license, a limited license, a veterinary faculty certificate, a zoo veterinary certificate, and a registration of a veterinary technician and a veterinary student intern.\n(b)\tThe Board may impose and collect from a licensee, or a veterinary facility permittee, a civil monetary penalty of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation of this Article or a rule adopted under this Article. The clear proceeds of these civil penalties shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2.\nThe amount of the civil penalty, up to the maximum, shall be determined upon a finding of one or more of the following factors:\n(1)\tThe degree and extent of harm to the public health or to the health of the animal under the licensee's care.\n(2)\tThe duration and gravity of the violation.\n(3)\tWhether the violation was committed willfully or intentionally or reflects a continuing pattern.\n(4)\tWhether the violation involved elements of fraud or deception either to the client or to the Board, or both.\n(5)\tThe prior disciplinary record with the Board of the licensee.\n(6)\tWhether and the extent to which the licensee profited by the violation.\n(c)\tGrounds for disciplinary action shall include but not be limited to the following:\n(1)\tThe employment of fraud, misrepresentation, or deception in obtaining a license.\n(2)\tAn adjudication of insanity or incompetency.\n(3)\tThe impairment of an individual holding a license or registration issued by the Board, when the impairment interferes with that individual's ability to practice within the scope of the license or registration with reasonable skill and safety, and in a manner not harmful to the public or to animals under the individual's care.\n(4)\tThe use of advertising or solicitation which is false, misleading, or deceptive.\n(5)\tConviction of a felony or other public offense involving moral turpitude.\n(6)\tIncompetence, gross negligence, or other malpractice in the practice of veterinary medicine.\n(7)\tHaving professional association with or knowingly employing any person practicing veterinary medicine unlawfully.\n(8)\tFraud or dishonesty in the application or reporting of any test for disease in animals.\n(9)\tFailure to keep veterinary premises and equipment in a clean and sanitary condition, violating an administrative rule of the Board concerning the minimum sanitary requirements of veterinary hospitals, veterinary clinics, or other practice facilities, or violating other State or federal statutes, rules, or regulations concerning the disposal of medical waste.\n(10)\tFailure to report, as required by the laws and regulations of the State, or making false report of, any contagious or infectious disease.\n(11)\tDishonesty or gross negligence in the inspection of foodstuffs or the issuance of health or inspection certificates.\n(12)\tConviction of a criminal offense involving cruelty to animals or the act of cruelty to animals.\n(13)\tRevocation of a license to practice veterinary medicine by another state, territory or district of the United States only if the grounds for revocation in the other jurisdiction would also result in revocation of the practitioner's license in this State.\n(14)\tUnprofessional conduct as defined in regulations adopted by the Board.\n(15)\tConviction of a federal or state criminal offense involving the illegal use, prescription, sale, or handling of controlled substances, other drugs, or medicines.\n(16)\tThe illegal use, dispensing, prescription, sale, or handling of controlled substances or other drugs and medicines.\n(17)\tFailure to comply with regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration regarding biologics, controlled substances, drugs, or medicines.\n(18)\tSelling, dispensing, prescribing, or allowing the sale, dispensing, or prescription of biologics, controlled substances, drugs, or medicines without a veterinarian-client-patient relationship with respect to the sale, dispensing, or prescription.\n(19)\tActs or behavior constituting fraud, dishonesty, or misrepresentation in dealing with the Board or in the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. (1903, c. 503, s. 10; Rev., s. 5436; C.S., s. 6759; 1953, c. 1041, s. 16; 1961, c. 353, s. 7; 1973, c. 1106, s. 1; c. 1331, s. 3; 1981, c. 767, ss. 12, 13; 1987, c. 827, s. 1; 1993, c. 500, s. 15; 1998-215, s. 136; 2019-170, s. 1(b); 2022-67, s. 1; 2022-75, s. 4(a).)","path":["Chapter 90. Medicine and Allied Occupations.","Article 11. Veterinarians."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_90/GS_90-187.8.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T18:12:48Z","sha256":"b4d1d34f21859e6f4362b409301ee1279adb22f0c218e245948fafc7b64ccecc","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-90-187.7","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-90-187.9"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}