### Veterinary Surgeons Registration Ordinance 《獸醫註冊條例》

19. Disciplinary order of inquiry committee
Where an inquiry committee finds that a registered veterinary surgeon committed a disciplinary offence, the inquiry committee may make any one or more of the following orders—
(a) order the Secretary to remove the name of the registered veterinary surgeon from the register;
(b) order the Secretary to remove the name of the registered veterinary surgeon from the register for such period, not exceeding 2 years as the inquiry committee may think fit;
(c) reprimand the registered veterinary surgeon in writing and order the Secretary to record the reprimand on the register;
(d) make any other order as it thinks fit.

20. Powers in regard to obtaining of evidence and conduct at inquiry
(1) An inquiry committee shall have power—
(a) to hear, receive and examine evidence on oath;
(b) to summon any person to attend the inquiry either as the person whose conduct is the subject of the inquiry or to give evidence or produce any document or other thing in his possession and to examine him as a witness under oath or require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession;
(c) to admit or exclude the public or any member of the public from the inquiry.
(2) The Secretary shall sign summonses to witnesses.
(3) No person shall be required to answer any question or produce any document or other thing which, in the opinion of the Legal Adviser, may tend to incriminate him.
(4) A witness shall, in respect of any evidence given by him before the inquiry committee, be entitled to the same privileges to which he would be entitled if he were giving evidence in court.

21. Service of orders of inquiry committee
(1) The Secretary shall serve a copy of any order made under section 19(a) to (d), together with a copy of the inquiry committee’s reasons, or serve notice that the inquiry committee has not found that the registered veterinary surgeon concerned committed a disciplinary offence, upon the registered veterinary surgeon who was the subject of the complaint, either personally or by prepaid registered post addressed to his last known address.
(2) The Secretary shall not remove the name of the registered veterinary surgeon from the register before the expiry of a period of 3 months after the date of service of the order under subsection (1), and in the event of an appeal under section 23, shall await the decision of the Court of Appeal.
(3) Any person whose name has been removed from the register under this Ordinance may apply to the Board for the restoration of his name to the register, and the Board may, after such inquiry and subject to such conditions as it may consider desirable, allow or refuse the application.
(4) If the Board allows the application under subsection (3), it shall order the Secretary to restore the name of the applicant to the register on payment by the applicant of the prescribed fee.

### Veterinary Surgeons Registration Ordinance 《獸醫註冊條例》

22. Publication of disciplinary orders
(1) After the expiry of the time within which notice of an appeal under section 23 against an order of an inquiry committee under section 19(a) to (d) is to be given, or where in the case of an appeal, the order is affirmed or varied or the appeal is abandoned, the Board—
(a) shall publish a copy of the order or the order as varied on appeal in—
(i) the Gazette; and
(ii) one English and one Chinese newspaper circulating in Hong Kong; and
(b) may publish the order or the order as varied on appeal in any other publication or manner as the Board thinks fit.
(2) Where an order is published under subsection (1), the Board—
(a) shall publish with such order sufficient particulars to acquaint the public with the nature of the matter to which the order relates; and
(b) may publish with such order an account of the proceedings of the inquiry committee.
(3) No action in damages for defamation shall lie against any person as a result of publishing an order and other particulars required or permitted under this section.

23. Appeal to Court of Appeal
(1) Any person who is aggrieved by any order made in respect of him under section 19 may appeal to the Court of Appeal.
(2) The Court of Appeal may affirm, reverse or vary the order appealed against.
(3) In determining an appeal, the Court of Appeal shall consider the reasons of the inquiry committee and submissions upon the findings of fact and law of the inquiry committee made on behalf of the parties to the inquiry and may call for the original record of the evidence taken and a record of any advice tendered by the Legal Adviser to the inquiry committee under section 7(3) and any document put in evidence before the inquiry committee.
(4) The Court of Appeal may, upon special grounds being shown, consider any additional evidence not adduced before the inquiry committee.
(5) The practice in relation to any appeal shall be subject to any rules of court made under the High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4). (Amended 25 of 1998 s. 2)
(6) The Court of Appeal shall not have power to hear any appeal unless notice of such appeal is given within 3 months of the service of the order under section 21.
(7) In deciding any appeal under this section the Court of Appeal may make such order for the payment of costs as it considers reasonable.

### Veterinary Surgeons Registration Ordinance 《獸醫註冊條例》

24. Use of title
(1) A person whose name does not appear on the register shall not be entitled to describe himself as a “registered veterinary surgeon” or “註冊獸醫”.
(2) The Board may apply to a judge for an order restraining any person whose name is not on the register from describing himself as a “registered veterinary surgeon” or “註冊獸醫”.
(3) A person carrying on the business of veterinary practice or veterinary service may use the description of “registered veterinary surgeon” or “註冊獸醫” if, but only if, at each place where such business is carried on, that business is conducted under the supervision of a registered veterinary surgeon.
(4) The Board may apply to a judge for an order—
(a) restraining any person from using the description of “registered veterinary surgeon” or “註冊獸醫” if the person has not complied with subsection (3); or
(b) restraining any person whose name is not entered in the register from carrying on a veterinary practice in such manner as may reasonably cause any other person to believe that he is a registered veterinary surgeon.