Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending regulations of: 14 April 2015 [shall come into force on 17 April 2015]; 7 July 2015 [shall come into force on 10 July 2015]; 23 August 2016 [shall come into force on 26 August 2016]; 21 December 2021 [shall come into force on 24 December 2021]. If a whole or part of a paragraph has been amended, the date of the amending regulation appears in square brackets at the end of the paragraph. If a whole paragraph or sub-paragraph has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted paragraph or sub-paragraph.

Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 768 Adopted 10 September 2013

Requirements for Veterinary Medical Practice Institutions and Providers of Veterinary Medical Service, Procedures for Their Registration and Cancellation of Registration

Issued pursuant to
Section 57, Paragraph two of the Veterinary Medicine Law
and Section 10, Clause 7 of the Animal Protection Law

[21 December 2021]

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes:

1.1. the requirements for veterinary medical practice institutions and providers of veterinary medical service;

1.2. the procedures for the registration and cancellation of registration of a veterinary medical practice institution and a provider of veterinary medical service;

1.3. the welfare requirements of animals in animal veterinary medical practice institutions.

[21 December 2021]

2. The Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - the Service) shall carry out the supervision, registration, and cancellation of registration of a provider of veterinary medical service and a veterinary medical practice institution.

II. General Requirements for the Providers of Veterinary Medical Service and Veterinary Medical Practice Institutions

3. A provider of veterinary medical service shall be a certified veterinarian who is working at a veterinary medical practice institution individually or in cooperation with other veterinarians. In exceptional cases a provider of veterinary medical service is a certified veterinarian who is working:

3.1. at a facility the owner of which has obtained a permit of the Service to purchase veterinary medicinal products from a wholesaler;

3.2. at educational and scientific institutions where trials with animals are carried out and who has obtained a permit of the Service to purchase veterinary medicinal products from a wholesaler.

[14 April 2015]

4. A provider of veterinary medical service and a veterinary medical practice institution shall be registered with the Service in conformity with Chapter IV of this Regulation.

5. A veterinary medical practice institution shall be:

5.1. a veterinary medical practice office where a practising veterinarian keeps medicinal products, veterinary instruments and materials, practice documentation and, where necessary, sterilises veterinary instruments and materials;

5.2. an out-patient veterinary medical practice institution where diagnostics of animal diseases is carried out and medical aid is provided, and also medical treatment, preventive and health improvement procedures or manipulations are carried out;

5.3. an in-patient veterinary medical practice institution where diagnostics of animal diseases is carried out and medical aid is provided, and also medical treatment, preventive and health improvement procedures or manipulations are carried out and, where necessary, a night hospital is ensured for an animal by prior agreement with the owner of the animal or the person who brought the animal to the in-patient veterinary medical practice institution.

[14 April 2015]

6. A veterinary medical practice institution shall have at least the following equipment:

6.1. a device or equipment for medicinal products to ensure the necessary temperature settings;

6.2. a microchip reader if microchipping of animals is carried out.

7. At a veterinary medical practice institution where laboratory tests are carried out:

7.1. premises or places, and also devices and materials shall be suitable for the performance of the intended tests;

7.2. the methodology for laboratory tests approved by the head of a veterinary medical practice institution shall be complied with and it shall be ensured that the results obtained are documented and traceable;

7.3. chemical substances and laboratory tests shall be labelled and stored in accordance with the laws and regulations which govern actions with chemical substances;

7.4. the facilities used for tests shall be periodically inspected, cleaned, used and calibrated in conformity with the instructions for use of devices;

7.5. laboratory waste shall be collected and destroyed in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding waste and hazardous waste management.

[14 April 2015]

8. A veterinary medical practice institution shall ensure that the practice documentation is stored for at least three years after making the last entry. A veterinary medical practice shall store the information on the circulation of veterinary medicinal products in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding circulation of veterinary medicinal products.

[14 April 2015]

9. A veterinary medical practice institution shall:

9.1. ensure good veterinary medical practice in conformity with the guidelines developed by the Latvian Association of Veterinarians;

9.2. collect and destroy veterinary medical waste in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding waste and hazardous waste management;

9.3. collect and destroy animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption, including dead bodies of animals, in accordance with the laws and regulations in the field of handling of animal by-products;

9.4. ensure keeping of the animal for whom a veterinary manipulation has been carried out for the purpose of recovery in conformity with its physiological needs and veterinary medical indications, and also, where necessary, use a cage for keeping the animal which corresponds to the size of the animal in terms of length and height, and veterinary medical indications.

[21 December 2021]

III. Additional Requirements for Out-patient and In-patient Veterinary Medical Practice Institutions

10. [21 December 2021]

11. At least one certified veterinarian shall work at an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution during the determined working hours.

12. There shall be at least the following premises at an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution:

12.1. a waiting room;

12.2. a room for the clinical examination of animals where:

12.2.1. there is a sink which is supplied with drinking water;

12.2.2. there are hand and surface detergents and disinfectants;

12.3. sanitary facilities (toilet bowl and sink) which are available for the staff and visitors.

13. A room or a place with appropriate temperature for the storage of euthanised and dead animals, for example, a cooling chamber, a freezer, or an alternative system with equal operation shall be ensured at an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution where animals are euthanised in order to prevent the risk of the spread of animal diseases.

[14 April 2015]

14. The premises of an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution shall be easy to clean, wash, disinfect, and ventilate; such premises shall be kept clean all the time.

15. In addition to the equipment referred to in Paragraph 6 of this Regulation, there shall be scales with a platform for the placement of animals at an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution.

16. If an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution carries out surgical operations, there shall also be the following premises and equipment at the institution in addition to the requirements referred to in Paragraphs 12, 13 and 15 of this Regulation:

16.1. the operating room for surgical manipulations where there shall be the following minimum equipment:

16.1.1. an operating (surgical) table;

16.1.2. a lamp;

16.2. premises for post-operative recovery or a place for the observation of animals.

16.¹ A separate room for surgical manipulations shall not be necessary for an out-patient veterinary medical practice institution which is the place of the veterinary medical practice for not more than one certified veterinarian if it is possible to separate in time surgical manipulations from other veterinary medical activities. In such case the veterinary medical practice institution shall develop the plan for the organisation of surgical manipulations and cleaning, disinfection, and sterilisation of the premises.

[14 April 2015]

17. If an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution uses volatile anaesthetics for animal anaesthesia, output of the exhaled air of an animal outside the premises or accumulation thereof in special absorbers shall be ensured.

18. A sign on which the name of the institution and working hours, and also the information where it is possible to receive veterinary medical aid outside the working hours of the institution shall be affixed visibly at the entrance of an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution.

19. The information on the name and surname of a practising veterinarian shall be displayed in a visible place in an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution.

IV. Procedures for the Registration and Cancellation of Registration of a Provider of Veterinary Medical Service and a Veterinary Medical Practice Institution

20. A provider of veterinary medical service shall submit to the Service an application for the registration of a provider of veterinary medical service (Annex 1) before commencement of activities of the provider of veterinary medical service.

21. The Service shall, within three working days after receipt of the application referred to in Paragraph 20 of this Regulation, register a provider of veterinary medical service with the register of objects under supervision of the Service. The following information shall be indicated in the register:

21.1. the given name and surname of the provider of veterinary medical service;

21.2. the information on the workplace:

21.2.1. the name (for a legal person - the name, registration number in the Enterprise Register, the Commercial Register, or the State Revenue Service, for a natural person - the given name and surname or the name of a sole proprietorship);

21.2.2. the type of a veterinary medical practice institution - an out-patient institution, an in-patient institution, or a practice office (in exceptional cases - a holding or educational and scientific institutions);

21.2.3. the actual address;

21.3. the number in the register of objects under supervision of the Service.

[14 April 2015]

21.¹ If the Service has not registered a provider of veterinary medical service with the register of objects under supervision of the Service within the time period referred to in Paragraph 21 of this Regulation, it shall be regarded that the provider of veterinary medical service is registered in accordance with the principle of tacit approval provided for in the Freedom to Provide Services Law.

[14 April 2015]

22. A veterinary medical practice institution shall, before the commencement of activities or re-registration, submit the following to the Service:

22.1. an application for the registration, re-registration, termination of activities of the veterinary medical practice institution, or for making changes (Annex 2);

22.2. a copy of the document which confirms the right of a submitter to use the structure or group of premises for the intended activities of a veterinary medical practice (a copy of the document confirming the ownership or agreement with the owner of the premises on the use of the premises) - only the veterinary medical practice institution referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of this Regulation.

[14 April 2015]

22.¹ If a veterinary medical practice institution has not submitted all the documents referred to in Paragraph 22 of this Regulation or they are not complete, it shall, within five working days after receipt of a written or electronic request of the Service, submit the necessary documents.

[14 April 2015]

22.² If a veterinary medical practice institution does not submit the relevant documents within the time period referred to in Paragraph 22.¹ of this Regulation, the Service shall take the decision to refuse registration of the institution with the register of objects under supervision of the Service.

[14 April 2015]

23. The Service shall carry out a pre-registration or re-registration inspection of the veterinary medical practice institution specified in the application:

23.1. the veterinary medical practice institution referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1 of this Regulation shall be inspected within 10 working days after receipt of the documents referred to in Paragraphs 22 and 22.¹ of this Regulation;

23.2. a pre-registration or re-registration inspection shall be carried out in the veterinary medical practice institution referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of this Regulation if the type of use of the structure or group of premises which is registered with the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System complies with the activities to be carried out. The Service shall carry out a pre-registration or re-registration inspection within 13 working days after receipt of the documents referred to in Paragraphs 22 and 22.¹ of this Regulation.

[14 April 2015; 23 August 2016; 21 December 2021]

23.¹ If a veterinary medical practice institution is not registered with the Taxpayer Register of the State Revenue Service, the Enterprise Register, or the Commercial Register, or the type of use of the structure or group of premises of the veterinary medical practice institution referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.2 and 5.3 of this Regulation which is registered with the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System fails to comply with the activities to be carried out, the Service shall take the decision to refuse registration with the register of objects under supervision of the Service.

[21 December 2021]

23.² [23 August 2016]

23.³ [23 August 2016]

24. If a veterinary medical practice institution plans to use also narcotic and psychotropic medicinal products in its activities, the Service shall, when making the pre-registration inspection, concurrently inspect also the conformity of premises and equipment with the requirements of the laws and regulations regarding the procedures by which a person engaged in veterinary medical practice carries out activities with narcotic and psychotropic medicinal products.

25. After the inspection referred to in Paragraphs 23 and 24 of this Regulation, the Service shall, within three working days, take the decision to register a veterinary medical practice institution or to refuse registration thereof with the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service and send the decision to the veterinary medical practice institution. The veterinary medical practice institution shall be registered with the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service within three working days after taking a positive decision.

26. If during a pre-registration inspection any non-conformities are established, the Service shall take the decision to refuse registration of a veterinary medical practice institution with the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service and notify the veterinary medical practice institution of the established non-conformities.

27. After rectification of non-conformities, a veterinary medical practice institution shall submit the relevant application to the Service, indicating the necessity to carry out a repeated inspection.

28. The Service shall carry out a repeated inspection of the veterinary medical practice institution specified in the application in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation within 10 working days after receipt of the application referred to in Paragraph 27 of this Regulation.

29. After the repeated inspection referred to in Paragraph 28 of this Regulation, the Service shall, within three working days, take the decision to register a veterinary medical practice institution or to refuse registration thereof with the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service and send the decision to the veterinary medical practice institution. The veterinary medical practice institution shall be registered with the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service within three working days after taking a positive decision.

30. A veterinary medical practice institution shall pay the invoice issued by the Service for the pre-registration or repeated inspection of a veterinary medical practice institution carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the activities of the State supervision and control carried out by the Food and Veterinary Service and payment for the provided paid services.

31. A provider of veterinary medical service shall submit an application to the Service for the registration, termination of activities of a provider of veterinary medical service, or for making changes (Annex 1) within three working days:

31.1. after changes in contact information - by a note on making changes in the registration documentation;

31.2. after termination of employment relationship with the employer - by a note on the termination of the activities and indication on the employer with which employment legal relationship has been terminated;

31.3. before commencement of other employment relationship - by a note on the registration of a provider of veterinary medical service.

[14 April 2015]

32. A veterinary medical service institution shall submit an application to the Service for the registration, re-registration, termination of activities of a veterinary medical practice institution, or for making changes (Annex 2):

32.1. within three working days after making changes if the owners, working hours, legal address, responsible veterinarian, staff, contact details, or direction of activities of a veterinary medical practice institution have changed;

32.2. before commencement of activities in re-designed or new premises (if the layout or actual address of the premises has changed).

[21 December 2021]

33. If a veterinary medical service provider and a veterinary medical practice institution want to terminate the activities, they shall, not later than five working days before the termination of activities, submit the relevant application (Annex 1 or Annex 2) to the Service, indicating the date from which the activities will be terminated.

[14 April 2015; 21 December 2021]

33.¹ A veterinary medical practice institution shall inform the Service of each agreement that is entered into with a provider of veterinary medical service with which employment relationship has not been established by submitting an application to the Service for the registration, re-registration, or termination of activities of a veterinary medical practice institution (Annex 2).

[14 April 2015]

34. If veterinary medical practice institution terminates its activities, it has the obligation:

34.1. to notify such information to all the owners of animals with whom the agreement on the provision of veterinary medical services has been entered into;

34.2. to carry out inventory by accounting medicinal products and documentation;

34.3. to notify such information to the Latvian Association of Veterinarians and the Service, providing the information on where the documentation of a veterinary medical practice will be stored the next three years, and also indicating the responsible person and his or her contact details;

34.4. after the end of the time period referred to in Sub-paragraph 34.3 of this Regulation, to ensure the destruction of the veterinary medical practice documents.

[14 April 2015]

35. If the information referred to in Paragraphs 31 and 32.1 of this Regulation is received, the Service shall, within three working days, make changes in the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service. If the information referred to in Sub-paragraph 32.2 of this Regulation is received, the Service shall act in conformity with the procedures laid down in Paragraphs 22, 22.¹, 22.², 23, 23.¹, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 of this Regulation.

[21 December 2021]

36. The Service shall, within three working days after receipt of the information, cancel the registration of a provider of veterinary medical service or a veterinary medical practice institution in the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service if:

36.1. the application referred to in Paragraph 33 of this Regulation is received;

36.2. it is established that a provider of veterinary medical service or a veterinary medical practice institution has terminated its activities;

36.3. the information that a veterinary medical practice institution is excluded from the Taxpayer Register of the State Revenue Service, the Enterprise Register, or the Commercial Register is received;

36.4. it is established that the type of use of the structure or group of premises of the veterinary medical practice institution referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of this Regulation which is registered with the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System fails to comply with the activities carried out.

[21 December 2021]

37. The Service shall, within five working days, after the registration of a veterinary medical practice institution, change of address, moving to other premises, or termination of activities, send the following information to the relevant local government:

37.1. the name of a veterinary medical practice institution;

37.2. actual address code in conformity with the address classifier of the information system of the State Address Register;

37.3. the registration number with the Enterprise Register, the Commercial Register, or the State Revenue Service or personal identity number;

37.4. the type of activities in conformity with Paragraph 5 of this Regulation;

37.5. the date for the commencement or termination of activities;

37.6. the information on the cadastre designation and area of the structure or group of premises of a veterinary medical practice institution in accordance with Annex 2 to this Regulation.

[14 April 2015]

38. If a provider of veterinary medical service or a veterinary medical practice institution wants to renew its activities, the application referred to in Paragraph 20 or 22.1 of this Regulation shall be submitted to the Service. The Service shall renew the registration in accordance with the requirements referred to in this Chapter.

38.¹ The State Land Service shall, in the online data transmission mode, provide the text data of the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System which are structured in information blocks to the Service for the performance of the functions laid down in this Regulation.

[14 April 2015]

V. Closing Provisions

39. Veterinary medical service providers and veterinary medical practice institutions which are registered in the register of undertakings under supervision of the Service in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations shall, by 31 December 2014, carry out the re-registration in conformity with the requirements laid down in this Regulation.

39.¹ The Service shall take the decision to cancel the registration of a provider of veterinary medical service or a veterinary medical practice institution in the register of objects under supervision of the Service if the provider of veterinary medical service or veterinary medical practice institution has not carried out the re-registration within the time period referred to in Paragraph 39 of this Regulation.

[14 April 2015]

39.² A veterinary medical practice institution which operates in a structure or a group of premises but which has not registered the type of use of the structure or group of premises with the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System or the information indicated there does not correspond to the activities carried out shall, by 31 December 2022, update the data in the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System.

[21 December 2021]

39.³ The Service shall, by 1 October 2021, inspect the conformity of the veterinary medical practice institutions included in the register of objects under supervision of the Service with the requirements referred to in Paragraph 23 of this Regulation, and indicate in respect of each veterinary medical practice institution in the register of objects under supervision of the Service whether:

39.³ 1. the structure is or is not put into service;

39.³ 2. the type of use of the structure or group of premises is conforming or is non-conforming.

[14 April 2015; 7 July 2015; 23 August 2016]

39.⁴ The Service shall take the decision to cancel the registration of a provider of veterinary medical service or a veterinary medical practice institution in the register of objects under supervision of the Service if the veterinary medical practice institution has not updated the data in the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System within the time period referred to in Paragraph 39.² of this Regulation.

[14 April 2015]

39.⁵ The registration of points of a veterinary medical practice shall be cancelled by 1 May 2015.

[14 April 2015]

40. Veterinary medical practice institutions which have started their operation in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations before coming into force of this Regulation shall be rebuilt and arranged in conformity with the requirements referred to in this Regulation by 31 December 2014.

41. Until the development of changes in the software of the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System, the Service shall not carry out the inspection of the registration of the deed on putting into service in the State Immovable Property Cadastre Information System.

[23 August 2016]

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis

Acting for the Minister for Agriculture -
Minister for Health Ingrīda Circene

 

Annex 1
Cabinet Regulation No. 768
10 September 2013

[14 April 2015]

Application for the Registration, Termination of Activities of a Provider of Veterinary Medical Service, or for Making Changes

to the Food and Veterinary Service

1. Information on the submitter

Given name, surname

Certificate No. of a veterinary medical practice

Telephone number

Fax number1

E-mail address1

Website address1

2. Information on veterinary medical service

I request (mark as appropriate with an X):

to register as a provider of veterinary medical service

2.1. Name of the workplace
	(the name of a legal person and registration number in the Enterprise Register, the Commercial Register, or the State Revenue Service; the given name and surname of a natural person or the name of a sole proprietorship)

2.2. Actual address of the workplace

Town, rural territory

Municipality, postal code

Phone, mobile phone number1, e-mail address1

2.3. Type of a veterinary medical practice institution:
	veterinary medical practice office
	out-patient veterinary medical practice institution
	in-patient veterinary medical practice institution
	to make changes in the registration information:
	to change contact information

other reasons
	(indicate what)

to register termination of activities with the employer
	(indicate the employer and date for the termination of activities)

register termination of operations
	(indicate the date)

I hereby declare that the information provided is true.

(given name, surname)		(date)		(signature2)

Notes.

¹ Complete where attributable.

² The detail of the document "signature" shall not be completed if the electronic document has been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the drawing up of electronic documents.

 

Annex 2
Cabinet Regulation No. 768
10 September 2013

[14 April 2015]

Application for the Registration, Re-registration, Termination of Activities of a Veterinary Medical Practice Institution, or for Making Changes

to the Food and Veterinary Service

1. Information on the submitter

(the owner of a veterinary medical practice institution (legal name or given name and surname, registration number in the Enterprise Register, the Commercial Register, or the State Revenue Service or personal identity number))

(name of a veterinary medical practice institution)

Legal address

Actual address

2. Information on a veterinary medical practice institution - cadastre designation and area of the structure or group of premises

(information shall be provided if the veterinary medical practice institution is located in the non-dwelling structure(-s) or group(-s) of premises available for the public)

cadastre designation of the structure(-s)

total area of the structure(-s)		m2
	(indicate if the veterinary medical practice institution is located in the entire structure)

cadastre designation(-s) of the group(-s) of premises

total area of the group(-s) of premises		m2
	(indicate if the veterinary medical practice institution is located in one or several groups of premises)

□ cadastre designation(-s) of the group(-s) of premises

area of the practice place in each group of premises		m2
	(indicate particular premises if the veterinary medical practice institution is located in a part of the group of premises or in a part of several groups of premises)

3. Contact information

Telephone number

Fax number1

E-mail address1

Website address1

4. Information on the necessary actions

I request (mark as appropriate with an X):

to register a veterinary medical practice institution:
	veterinary medical practice office
	out-patient veterinary medical practice institution
	in-patient veterinary medical practice institution
to re-register a veterinary medical practice institution in relation to:
	change of an owner
	change of the layout of premises
	moving to new premises

other reasons
	(indicate what)

to make changes in the registration information:
	change of the firm name
	change of the staff
	change of working hours
	change of a responsible veterinarian
	changes in contact information
	change of the direction of the activity

other reasons
	(indicate what)

register termination of operations
	(indicate the date)

5. Direction of activities

small animals

agriculture animals

mixed practice

other
	(indicate what)

6. Information on the responsible certified veterinarian(-s)

No.	Given name, surname	Certificate No. of a veterinary medical practice	Field of responsibility2

7. Information on a provider of veterinary medical service with which a contract has been entered into and employment relationship has not been established

No.	Given name, surname	Certificate No. of a veterinary medical practice

8. Information on working hours of an out-patient and in-patient veterinary medical practice institution (indicate the start and end time of working hours)

Monday  .   -   .  

Tuesday  .   -   .  

Wednesday  .   -   .  

Thursday  .   -   .  

Friday  .   -   .  

Saturday  .   -   .  

Sunday  .   -   .  

works upon a call (mark with X, where necessary)

9. Documents attached to the application (mark as appropriate with X):

the list of services to be provided permanently by a veterinary medical practice

on ____ pages

a copy of the document which confirms the right of a submitter to use the premises for the intended activities of the veterinary medical practice (the document confirming the ownership or agreement with the owner of the premises on use of the premises) (certified copy) on _____ pages

I hereby confirm that the information provided is true.

(given name, surname)		(date)		(signature3)

Notes.

¹ Complete where attributable.

² Indicate one of the following entries: "Responsible for veterinary medicinal products" or "Deputy responsible for veterinary medicinal products".

³ The detail of the document "signature" shall not be completed if the electronic document has been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the drawing up of electronic documents.

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Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)