Fake Vets Are Illegal and a Threat to Animals and Professional Vets

Animal Welfare Advocacy Group (AWAG) Press Release - 20250213

The Animal Welfare Advocacy Group is concerned about the proliferation of fake practitioners that are offering veterinary services across the country. These persons present themselves as trained for the purpose or as licensed veterinarians.

The public should be aware of this practice and should ensure that they avoid using the services of such persons and report any instances where persons who are not registered vets are offering veterinary services.

Illegal veterinary practice by either persons who fraudulently claim to be veterinarians or perform veterinary procedures for reward has been a long-standing issue in Jamaica. Over the past few years, the practice seems to have intensified and become more overt, with the perpetrators advertising freely on social media with no repercussions. This undermines the practice of legitimate Veterinarians and can bring the sector into  disrepute.

The practice is contrary to the principles of Animal Welfare, IT is a threat to Public Health, and is in violation of the following laws:

• The Veterinary Act: Under the Act (1975) any person who fraudulently assumes the title of veterinarian, promotes themselves and/or practices veterinary medicine in any form is guilty of an offence and can be subject to a fine or imprisonment or both if convicted in the courts. 
• The Pharmacy Act: The unscrupulous perpetrators are also apparently able to gain access to prescription drugs, including restricted anaesthetics 
• The Cruelty to Animals Act: Their often improper, ill-informed treatment of animals often results in injury, worsening illness, pain and death.
• The Malicious Injury to Property Act: The fraudulent performance of procedures, including drug administration, result in injury, illness or death.including drug administration, result in injury, illness or death.

Dealing with cases of illegal practice has proven difficult for the legitimate veterinary community over the years. The following are the challenges faced:

• Illegal practice by non-veterinarians, a criminal offence, is a POLICE matter. The Jamaica Veterinary Board, Veterinary Services Division and Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association can only advocate against the activity and raise public awareness, but cannot directly take action against the perpetrators. The Jamaica Veterinary Board can take disciplinary action against registered veterinarians who violate the Act, but not non-vets.
• Animal owners, veterinarians and other connected/concerned persons are generally unwilling to report matters to the police because they are (understandably) fearful for themselves and those connected to them. Others believe that reporting matters to the police is time-consuming and a waste of time as nothing will come of it.
• The Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association has had discussions with the police but were told that nothing could be done without official reports, and that social media posts on their own were unusable without the device from which they were recorded and posted.
• Illegal practitioners seem to have continuous access to various drugs, including restricted anaesthetics such as ketamine, which is also a subject of human abuse.
• The penalties under the Veterinary and Animal Cruelty Acts are less than miniscule - $1000 or less in fines. Succeeding government administrations have failed to give any priority to updating the Acts, despite much work being done and submissions made.

Illegal practice includes the following:

• Ear cropping and tail docking where an individual cuts off the tail or ears of a fully conscious dog with scissors.
• Surgical procedures: There have been recent cases of Caesarian Sections being performed on dogs resulting in life-threatening injuries and infections.
• Drug overdose: The have been cases of dogs, puppies, goats and pigs seen by veterinarians in comatose state following overdose of the drug ivermectin by unqualified persons. Some have died. 
• Questionable administration of vaccines: Improper handling and administration of vaccines may result in poor or no immune response and continued susceptibility to infectious diseases.
• Horses: Improperly done joint and musculoskeletal procedures, including the illegal use of pain-killing medication can result in infections and abscesses.  
• Illegal Cock-fighting & Dog-fighting: Drugs administered to the animals exploited in these heinous activities are certainly NOT prescribed or administered by veterinarians.

The Animal Welfare Advocacy Group is calling upon the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jamaica Veterinary Board to immediately take steps to curtail and ultimately eliminate this practice.

The Group is proposing:

• Updating and modernization of our legislation including a major increase in penalties and fines.  Modern Animal Welfare legislation and policy is urgently needed.
• Assign a police contingent dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of illegal practice and animal welfare violations. 
• The role of Animal Wardens, as prescribed under the Praedial Larceny Prevention Act, could be activated and expanded to include assisting the police with illegal veterinary practice investigations.
• The establishment of a hotline, similar to Crime Stop, to allow anonymous reporting of incidents.
• The Minister and the Agriculture Ministry could partner with AWAG and the broader veterinary and animal welfare communities in a public awareness campaign for prevention of the maltreatment of animals. 

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