Guidelines of the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria
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Guideline 2 - Animal wellbeing

This guideline outlines the appropriate standard expected of a registered veterinary practitioner in the course of veterinary practice. It should be read in conjunction with other related guidelines.

Context to Guideline 2: Animal wellbeing

A veterinary practitioner is trained to assess animal health and wellbeing. This training is exercised through the application of their skills and applied knowledge to optimise the care and management of animals.

A veterinary practitioner should take all reasonable steps to safeguard the wellbeing of animals in line with contemporary animal welfare standards. A veterinary practitioner should consider the animal species, their physical environment and their particular circumstances when making decisions relating to the physical health, behavioural and mental health requirements of an animal. The same approach to animal wellbeing does not necessarily apply to all species in all circumstances.

Optimising the wellbeing of the animal receiving veterinary services guides a veterinary practitioner in making their professional judgements. A veterinary practitioner should consider what is in the best interest of the animal’s wellbeing when advising the animal’s owner on its care, treatment, prognosis and management.

A veterinary practitioner who performs a procedure prohibited under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 for other than therapeutic reasons is demonstrating unprofessional conduct.

Professional conduct under this guideline is demonstrated by the following:
2.1 A veterinary practitioner can demonstrate that their professional judgement, as well as the veterinary services they provide to an animal, considers the animal’s best interests and wellbeing.
2.2 A veterinary practitioner takes appropriate and timely steps to reduce or eliminate an animal’s unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.
2.3 A veterinary practitioner who performs a procedure on an animal ensures that the animal undergoing the procedure is provided with effective pain relief to alleviate, prevent or reduce unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress during and for an appropriate amount of time following the procedure. 
2.4 A veterinary practitioner only provides surgical or medical intervention in relation to an animal's inheritable condition or disease if a failure to treat that condition or disease would cause unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress to the animal and/or would place another animal at risk of harm or injury.
2.5 A veterinary practitioner satisfies themselves, and can provide evidence, that any person acting under their supervision, direction and/or authority who performs a procedure on an animal is appropriately trained and has competency to be able to perform the procedure.
2.6 A veterinary practitioner engages in veterinary practice in accordance with current relevant animal wellbeing and welfare legislation, standards and codes.

It is important to note that when investigating issues the Board will often take note of Guideline 2 in conjunction with clinical management considerations. For example, did the veterinary practitioner use reasonable clinical judgment in their diagnosis and treatment of the animal?

Frequently asked questions (click on a question to open the answer)

While animal wellbeing is sometimes defined as the absence of pain or distress in an animal, it is also more broadly defined as a state of being in which ‘an animal is in a positive mental state and is able to achieve successful biological function, to have positive experiences, to express innate behaviours, and to respond to and cope with potentially adverse conditions’ (Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, National Health and Medical Research Council).

Animal welfare is a related term. It has been referred to as ‘the physical and psychological, social and environmental well-being of animals’ (WSAVA Animal Welfare Guidelines). Put simply, Animal Welfare Victoria says the 5 key welfare needs of animals are:
  • Environment — the need for a suitable environment (place to live)
  • Diet — the need for a suitable diet
  • Behaviour — the need to express normal behaviour
  • Companionship — the need to consider your pet's social needs
  • Health — the need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Animal owners can find out more about the wellbeing and welfare needs of their animals from Animal Welfare Victoria, including:

See also: Animal Welfare Guidelines, World Small Animal Veterinary Association (SWAVA)

Animal wellbeing may be assessed by physiological and behavioural measures of an animal's physical and psychological health and of the animal’s capacity to cope with stressors, and species-specific behaviours in response to social and environmental conditions. (Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, National Health and Medical Research Council).

Veterinary practitioners obtain the competencies to assess animal wellbeing and welfare through their veterinary qualification. They keep up to date on the general indicators for establishing an animal’s wellbeing and welfare through continuous professional development activities.

Animal owners can find out more about the wellbeing and welfare needs of their animals from Animal Welfare Victoria, including:
Overview
Government animal welfare portals:
  • Animal Welfare in Australia, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
  • Animal Welfare, Agriculture Victoria, Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
  • Wildlife, Wildlife Victoria, Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Victorian animal welfare laws and regulations: Victorian codes of practice for animal welfare: Policies of other organisations: Welfare rules about specific types of animals or activities - click on the headings below:
Codes of practice made under Domestic Animals Act 1994:

Under section 9(1)(c) of the POCTA Act, veterinary practitioners have a general responsibility to ensure that their acts (or omissions) do not cause unreasonable pain or suffering to animals under their care. As an example, a veterinary practitioner has a responsibility to provide first aid or pain relief to an animal presented to them if such treatment is needed to relieve the animal's suffering.

Veterinary practitioners have emergency powers under section 24D of the POCTA Act to destroy an animal under the following circumstances:
  • the animal is behaving in such a manner and there are such circumstances that the veterinary practitioner reasonably believes that the animal is likely to cause death or serious injury to any person or another animal, or
  • the animal is abandoned, distressed or disabled and the veterinary practitioner reasonably believes that the animal's condition is such that it would continue to suffer if it remained alive.

Veterinary practitioners are the only persons allowed to undertake some of the prohibited procedures listed in the POCTA Act (see next FAQ) for the purpose of having a therapeutic effect on the relevant animal.

Other responsibilities veterinary practitioners have under the POCTA ACT include that they can:
  • certify that an animal should be immediately destroyed on humane grounds prior to an inspector destroying a seized animal (section 24Z)
  • provide evidence for purposes of prosecution under POCTA Act re animal being alive at the time of attack by a dog (section 13(2))
  • as specified in the POCTA Regulations, use, or oversee the use of, electric prodders, electronic ejaculators, authorised electronic collars, remote training or anti-bark collars
  • as specified in the POCTA Regulations, if they are a nominated or appointed veterinary practitioner for rodeos and rodeo schools, attend rodeos and rodeo schools (and make arrangements if unable to attend), inspect animals before and after rodeos and rodeo schools, and submit veterinary reports detailing the condition of the animals involved in the rodeo or rodeo school and any injuries sustained.
In addition to acts or omissions amounting to cruelty or aggravated cruelty, section 11A of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (POCTA) Act 1986 has “prohibited procedures”. Part 1, Section 3 – Definitions of the POCTA Act prohibits the following procedures unless undertaken by a veterinary practitioner for the purpose of having a therapeutic effect:
  • cropping a dog’s ears
  • docking a dog or horse’s tail
  • grinding, clipping or trimming the teeth of a sheep using an electrical or motorised device
  • removing a cat’s claws
  • removing a reptile’s venom sacs.

Under the same section of the POCTA Act,  the procedure of thermocautery or firing of a horse is prohibited (no exceptions), and ‘Debarking a dog may only be undertaken by a veterinary practitioner in accordance with the Code of practice for debarking of dogs’.

Veterinary practitioners should have adequate knowledge about pain in animals. They should be able to properly evaluate the degree of pain experienced by an animal and deliver appropriate treatments and medications for pain to an animal.

Pain assessment and management guidelines support veterinary practitioners to accurately diagnose pain and administer appropriate pain relief. Veterinary practitioners are provided with examples of pain management protocols while training for their veterinary qualification and through continuous professional development activities.

As an example, the Global Pain Council of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association has developed guidelines for the recognition, assessment and treatment of pain in small animals (endorsed by the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association). They have also developed pain management protocols for individual conditions, e.g., cancer related pain. More information: Global pain council guidelines (NOTE: It is important to note that this is just one resource example. Veterinary practitioners should exercise their professional judgement in selecting pain management protocols, based on information available about the patient and all surrounding circumstances.)

Related guidelines

Related legislation

Date of publication
In effect from 1 May 2021.

This material is current only at the time of publication and may be changed from time to time. The Board reviews and updates the Guidelines on a continuous basis to reflect changes in the science and knowledge base underpinning contemporary veterinary practice. The Board will take reasonable steps to inform the veterinary profession when such updates are released but it remains the responsibility of the individual veterinary practitioner to ensure that their knowledge and application of these Guidelines to their own practice is current.

While the Board has made every effort to ensure that the material in these Guidelines is correct in law, it shall not be liable to any veterinary practitioner or any other person or entity in relation to any claim, action or proceeding whatsoever (whether in contract, negligence or other tort or in proceedings seeking any other form of legal or equitable remedy or relief) for any inadequacy, error or mistake, or for any deficiency in the whole or any part of this document (including any updates incorporated in the document from time to time). A veterinary practitioner or any other person or entity acting upon the contents of this document acknowledges and accepts that this is the basis upon which the Board has produced these Guidelines and made them available to such person or entity.