Federal Law No. (10) of 2002 on Practicing the Veterinary Medicine Profession (labour, residency and leberal professions law)

Article (1) 
In the application of the provisions of this Law, the following words and phrases shall have 
the meanings assigned to each of them,  unless the context otherwise requires:  
 State  : United Arab Emirates.  
 The Ministry  : Ministry of Climate Change and Environment . 
 Minister  : Minister of Climate Change and Environment . 
 Competent 
Department  : The department concerned in the Ministry  
 Concerned 
Authority  : The local authority in each Emirate concerned with the application 
of the Law.  
 Veterinary 
Medicine 
Profession  : Any of the activities of veterinary medical practices practised by 
the Veterinarian.   
Federal Law No. (10)  of 20 02 on Practicing the Veterinary Medicine Profession  2 
  Veterinary 
Medical 
Practices  : Providing medical advice; practising scientific, research and 
extension activities or examinations; dealing with animals, 
whether throug h examination, treatment, prevention, surgeries, 
births, artificial insemination; prescribing or dealing with 
veterinary preparations; examining products, waste or animal feed; 
and issuing veterinary health certificates.  
 Veterinarian  : The person who holds a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in 
Veterinary Medicine from a recognised university, and a licence to 
practise the Veterinary Profession from the Ministry.  
 Allied 
Veterinary 
Medical 
Professions  : Professions specialised in pr oviding auxiliary work to the 
Veterinary Medicine Profession, as determined by the Executive 
Regulation of this Law.  
 Veterinary 
Facility  : Every non -governmental facility designated as a veterinary 
hospital, veterinary clinic, veterinary laboratory, ve terinary drug 
warehouse, veterinary pharmacy, veterinary scientific advisory 
office, commercial productive farms, or artificial insemination 
centre.  
 Veterinary 
Hospital  : The place designated and licensed to deal with animals, whether 
through examinati on or any therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic 
practices, surgeries, births or artificial insemination, and which 
contains a place equipped for the accommodation of animals for a 
specified period under veterinary supervision.  
 Veterinary 
Clinic  : A fixed or mobile place, designated and licensed to deal with 
animals, whether through examination, or any therapeutic or 
preventive practices, surgeries, births or artificial insemination.  
 Veterinary 
Laboratory  : The place designated and licensed to c onduct veterinary analyses 
and diagnostic tests for all animal species, products, waste and 
feed.  
 Veterinary : The place designated and licensed for the import, storage and  
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 Drug 
Warehouse  wholesale distribution of veterinary products.  
 Veterinary 
Pha rmacy  : The place designated and licensed for the retail sale of veterinary 
products . 
 Veterinary 
Scientific 
Advisory 
Office  : The facility licensed to provide scientific consultations in all fields 
of veterinary sciences.  
 Commercial 
Productive 
Farms  : Facilities designated and licensed to keep domesticated productive 
animals for commercial purposes, and they include farms of cows, 
sheep, goats, camels, poultry and any other types specified by the 
Executive Regulation of t his Law.  
 Artificial 
Insemination 
Centre  : The facility licensed to use appropriate technologies to facilitate 
artificial fertilisation without the need for natural insemination . 
 Animal  : All types of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, 
amphibians, fish and crustaceans.  
 Animal 
Samples  : Samples taken from animals for diagnostic and laboratory 
examination purposes.  
  
Chapter One  
Licensing and registration of veterinarians

Article (2)  
1. No person may practice the profession of veterinary medicine or veterinary assistant 
professions in any veterinary facility, unless such person is licensed by and registered 
with the Ministry to practice the same according to the provision s hereof.  
2. A temporary license may be granted to practice the veterinary medicine profession or 
veterinary assistant professions in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated 
by the executive regulations hereof.  
   
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Article (3)  
1. The applicant  for a licence to practise the veterinary medicine profession must hold a 
bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine or its equivalent from a recognised university in 
the State.  
2. A resolution issued by the Minister, in coordination with the Concerned Autho rity, shall 
specify the requirements and other conditions necessary for issuing a licence to practise the veterinary medicine profession.

Article (4)  
Applications for license shall be submitted to the Ministry and shall be attached with the 
necessary doc uments as determined by the Minister.

Article (5)  
The Ministry shall have the authority to decide upon the applications for license to practice 
the veterinary medicine profession and veterinary assistant professions. The license 
application shall be decided upon the Ministry within thirty days from the date of 
submission thereof. The decision involving rejection of either the license or its renewal shall 
be reasoned.

Article (6)  
Whoever has his application refused may complain about the decision and refer his 
grievance to the Minister within thirty days as from the date of refusal and the decision of 
the Minister in this concern shall be conclusive.

Article (7)  
A general registe r shall be established at the Ministry to record veterinarians and allied 
veterinary medical professionals whom the Ministry has decided to license to practise the profession. This register shall be divided into the following sub -registers:  
1. A register  of veterinarians working in veterinary hospitals and clinics.   
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 2. A register of veterinarians working in veterinary laboratories.  
3. A register of veterinarians working in veterinary pharmacies and veterinary drug 
warehouses.  
4. A register of veterin arians working in veterinary scientific advisory offices.  
5. A register of veterinarians working in productive commercial farms.  
6. A register of veterinarians working in artificial insemination centres.  
7. A register of veterinarians working in the federal and local authorities.  
8. A register of allied veterinary medical professionals.  
Entry in the Register shall be made after paying the prescribed fees. National veterinarians 
and allied veterinary medical professionals, and employees of federal and local authorities, 
shall be excluded from the payment of fees. The Minister shall issue a resolution organising the register and specifying the data to be included therein.

Article (8)  
The decision of licensing for practicing the profession shall be handed over to the registered veterinarians and the Ministry shall periodically publish a list of their names and the 
amendments occurring thereto.

Article (9)  
If the veterinarian has been infected with a disease or handicap that hinder him completely 
or partially to practice the profession, he may continue to practice the profession upon the 
approval of the Minister in view of the report of the competent medical committee.  
  
Chapter Two  
Lice nsing for Establishments

Article (10)  
1. The initial approval for licensing the facility shall be issued by a decision of the Minister. The final license shall be obtained from the entity concerned in accordance with its laws 
and regulations.   
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 2. The Ex ecutive Regulations hereof shall set the conditions and controls for granting 
veterinary facilities licenses.

Article (11)  
Health and technical specifications of establishments shall be determined through a 
ministerial decree and the Ministry shall coord inate with the competent authority in the 
Emirate to close the establishment if found after inspection not complying with the health and technical specifications.  
The provisions herein shall be applied in case that the establishment changed its location.

Article (12)  
Each licensed veterinarian desired to join work with veterinary establishment shall inform 
the Ministry about the address of the establishment before starting the work and this 
obligation shall be applied to the new owner of the establishment . If the veterinarian is 
absent or left the work in the establishment for any reason, the owner of the establishment has to close it and inform the ministry and the concerned authority in the Emirate unless he 
has already informed them that an alterative licensed veterinarian is available to replace him.  
The Ministry and the competent authority in the Emirate shall decide within thirty days as from the date of receiving the notification from the owner of the establishment and it shall not be permissible for the veterinarian to join the work with other establishments at the 
same time.

Article (13)  
The Minister shall issue the general rules related to the measures on establishments and 
shall instruct to ascertain that the performance of work is not valuating the provisions of this 
law and the decisions issued in execution thereof.  
  
Article (13) BIS 
The Executive Regulations hereof shall determine the classification and conditions of  
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 practicing veterinary assistant professions.  
  
Chapter Three  
Duties and Responsibilities of the veterinarian

Article (14)  
Each lic ensed veterinarian shall be honest, sincere and shall keep to the behaviors and the 
principles of the profession.  
He has to cooperate with other health and veterinarian establishments in the country in 
order to maintain the health of man and animals agains t the Zoonotic diseases.  
  
Article (14) BIS (1) 
Sick animals may not be admitted in the veterinary hospital or clinic unless they are equipped and licensed to do so according to the conditions set out in the Executive 
Regulations hereof.  
  
Article (14) BIS (2) 
The  veterinary physician may conduct experiments or research on animals only after 
obtaining the approval of the Ministry.

Article (15)  
If the veterinarian suspected the infection of an animal with epidemic or contagious disease 
he shall have the right to r etain it and inform the competent department or the concerned 
authority in the Emirate immediately to take the necessary precautionary measures within 24 hours and he has to investigate the correct address of the owner of the animal.  
  
Article (15) BIS 
The veterinary physician shall explain to the owner of the animal the expected medical results of the veterinary medical practices to be carried out by him. The animal owner shall 
have the option either to accept or decline treatment unless the animal has an infectious or  
Federal Law No. (10)  of 20 02 on Practicing the Veterinary Medicine Profession  8 
 epidemic disease. In case of surgery, the veterinary physician shall be required to obtain a 
written declaration from the animal owner indicating his consent that the animal undergoes 
such surgery.

Article (16)  
The veterinarian shall be considered responsible if he committed a mistake due to lack of experience, knowledge, diagnosis and treatment of disease which was the cause of injury to 
the animal.

Article (17)  
It is impermissible to prepare, prescribe or change veterinary prescriptio ns except by 
specialized veterinarian and the concerned establishment shall keep the prescriptions for 
one year as from the date of its issuance and shall be registered in its official records to be 
subject to the medicinal control.  
  
Article 17 BIS  (1) 
The veterinary facility in which the animal is treated shall maintain a register containing the 
names and addresses of the owner of the animal, type of the animal, its medical history as 
well as identification numbers, if any, its medical condition, all veterinary practices, their 
respective dates, and final results of every case.  
  
Article (17) BIS (2) 
Animal samples may not be sent outside the State without a prior permission from the Ministry.

Article (18)  
The veterinarian and the establishment shall abide by the decisions issued by competent 
authorities for pricing the veterinary medications.  
   
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 Chapter Four  
Penalties

Article (19)  
Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for in any other law, a penalty of not 
less than one year of imprisonment and/or a fine of not less than AED (10,000) ten 
thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED (200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams sh all 
be imposed on:  
1. Those who practice the veterinary medicine profession or veterinary assistant professions without a license.  
2. Those who submit incorrect documents or data, or used illegal methods to obtain the license to practice veterinary me dicine professions or veterinary assistant professions.  
3. Those who used newsletters, signage, banners, or any other promotional materials to induce others to wrongfully believe that they have the right to practice the veterinary medicine profession or veterinary assistant professions.  
The Court may order that the veterinary facility be closed and that its equipment and supplies related to the practice of the veterinary medicine profession be confiscated.  
The license issued for the veterinary physician o r those who practice veterinary assistant 
professions shall be deemed to have expired, and his name shall be removed from the general register for veterinary physicians and veterinary assistant professions as of the date on which the judgment becomes final.  
  
Article (19) BIS (1) 
A penalty of one year of imprisonment and a fine of not less than AED (10,000) AED ten thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED (200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams shall 
be imposed on every veterinary physician violates the provisions  of Article 16 hereof.  
  
Article (19) BIS (2) 
A fine of not less than AED (10,000) ten thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED 
(100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams shall be imposed against every veterinary  
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 physician who examined an animal, found out symptoms of one of diseases that should be 
reported , and failed to report the same to the Ministry or the entity concerned.  
  
Article (19) BIS (3) 
Imprisonment sentence and / or a fine of not less than AED (50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED (500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams, shall be imposed against 
every veterinary physician who conducts experiments or research on animals without 
obtaining the approval of the Ministry.  
  
Article (19) BIS (4) 
Imprisonment sentence and / or a fine of not less than AED (50,000) fifty thousand dirhams 
and not exceeding AED (100,000,000) one million dirhams, shall be imposed against 
whoever sends Animal samples outside the State without prior permission from the 
Ministry.  
  
Article (19) BIS (5) 
Imprisonment sentence and / or a fine of not less than AED (20,000) twen ty thousand 
dirhams and not exceeding AED (200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams, shall be 
imposed against those who establish a veterinary facility without license.  
  
Article (19) BIS (6) 
Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for in any other law, the facility's 
owner shall pay a fine of not less than AED (10,000) ten thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED (200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams in the following cases:  
1. If the owner employs a veterinary physician or any occupier of a veterinary assistant 
profession without obtaining the required license.  
2. If the facility's owner of the establishment has knowledge that the license obtained by 
the veterinary physician or the worker of veterinary assistant professions has been 
granted on fr audulent grounds or deception on the part of the licensee.  
   
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 Article (19) BIS (7) 
A fine of not less than AED (10,000) ten thousand dirhams and not exceeding AED 
(150,000) one hundred fifty thousand  dirhams shall be imposed against those who admit 
sick animals in the veterinary hospital or clinic if the same is not equipped and licensed to do 
so.

Article (20)  
Whoever is legally authorized to practice the profession and practiced it prior obtaining the 
license shall be levied a fine not less than Dh. 1000 and shall not exceeding DH 5000 and 
the court shall adjudge to close the establishment until he obtains the license.

Article (21)  
1. Criminal proceedings shall be initiated against the crimes st ipulated in this Law, which 
are penalized by fine only, only by a written request issued by the Ministry or the entity concerned.  
2. The crimes referred to in the preceding Item of this Article may be subject to conciliation 
before the lawsuit is referre d to the competent court, subject to the payment of an 
amount not exceeding half of the maximum fine prescribed for each relevant crime.  
3. A de cision shall be issued by the Cabinet determining the rules of the conciliation and 
the compensation for each crime referred to in Item No. 1 of this Article.  
4. The Minister, the head of the entity concerned, or whomsoever assigned by any of them shall be entitled to impose any of the following disciplinary penalties against the 
veterinary physician or whoever provides veterinary assistant professions in case any of 
the provisions of this Law or its executive regulation have been violated:  
a. Notice  
b. Warning  
c. Suspension from practicing the profession of veterinary medicine or veterinary assistant professions for not more than one year.  
d. Withdrawal of the license and removing the name from the register of veterinary 
physicians or from the reg ister of veterinary assistant professions.   
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 5. The Minister, the head of the Entity concerned, or whomsoever assigned by any of them 
may impose any of the following administrative penalties against the facility in case any 
of the provisions of this Law or its executive regulation have been violated:  
a. Notice  
b. Closing the facility for not more than six months.  
c. Closing the facility permanently.  
d. Revoking the license.  
  
Chapter Five  
General provisions

Article (22)  
The Employees designated under a decision by the Minister of Justice, in agreement with the 
Minister or the head of the Entity concerned, shall have the Law Enforcement Officers capacity for detecting the violations of the provisions of this law and decisions issued in 
implementation thereof.

Article (23)  
The Cabinet shall is sue a resolution on the due fees according to the provisions of this Law 
and its executive regulation.

Article (24)  
All the existing establishments in the country shall adapt their situation with the provisions of this law within six months as from the d ate of its issuance.  
Veterinary clinics which were existed before the issuance of this law shall be exempted from the condition stipulated in item (1) of article (10) of this law.

Article (25)  
The Minister shall issue the executive by -law of this law.  
   
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Article (26)  
All other laws or regulations may contradict the provisions of this law shall be considered 
cancelled.

Article (27)  
This Law shall be published in the official Gazette and shall come into effect 30 days after its publishing.  
  
  
 
 
Zayed Bin Sult an Al Nahyan  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued at the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi on: 
September 29,  2002  AD.  
On 21st of Rajab 1423 H.  
Corresponding to Rajab  21st, 1423 H.