THE CODE OF ETHICS OF THE

VETERINARY PRACTITIONERS
ASSOCIATION OF THE
PHILIPPINES, INC.
(http://vpap.com.ph/code-of-ethics/)

The purpose of this code is to assure the community the best services of which Veterinarians are
capable of and to promote cooperation and harmony within the ranks of the profession. In addition,
exemplary professional conduct not only upholds honor and dignity, but also enlarges our sphere of
usefulness, exalts social standards and promotes the science we cultivate. There are four (4) guiding
principles for Veterinary practitioners:

1. To pursue his profession with dignity and integrity.

2. To serve the community to the outmost of his ability.
3. To ensure the welfare of animals committed to his care.
4. To seek no personal advantage at the expense of his professional colleagues.
It is not possible to cover the entire field of Veterinary Medical ethics in this code. Professional life is
too complex to classify one’s duties and obligations to his clients, colleagues, and fellow citizens into a
set of rules. However, it is the solemn duty of all members of the association to conduct themselves in
accordance with the spirit of this code.

ARTICLE I
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Section 1. Exemplary personal and professional behavior is expected of all members of the association.
Section 2. No member shall belittle or injure the professional standing of another veterinarian.
Section 3. Members of the association shall avoid the impropriety of employing methods to attract
public attention or claim of possessing superior knowledge or skill in the treatment or prevention of any
disease. It is unethical to guarantee a cure.
Section 4. A Veterinarian shall have the right to refuse to render service to certain patients or to accept
a case. In case of acceptance, the Veterinarian is obliged to perform to the best of his/her clinical
ability. A Veterinary practitioner shall not solicit clients.
Section 5. A Veterinary practitioner should strive to be well informed and up to date of the latest trends
and progress in veterinary science for the benefit of the patient, colleagues, profession as a whole.
Section 6. A Veterinary practitioner should not accept remunerations or fees from pharmacies or drug
companies for prescribing their products.
Section 7. It is unethical for a referring Veterinarian to accept payment from the attending Veterinarian
in connection with referral cases. However, upon the patient’s discharge, the referring Veterinarian
should send the attending Veterinarian a detailed medical report of the case.
Section 8. A Veterinary practitioner should recognize the value of seeking an opinion of a colleague for
the welfare and benefit of the patient.
Section 9. In an emergency or in the absence of the original attending Veterinarian, a substitute
Veterinarian shall have the moral duty to render the necessary services needed and endorse the said
patient back to its original attending Veterinarian as soon as the emergency shall have been over and/or
the patient shall have been stabilized.
Section 10. No Veterinarian should aid or abet the Veterinary practice of an unlicensed individual nor
allow his name and qualifications to be used for such purpose. It is unprofessional to aid in illegal
practice of others.
ARTICLE II
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY
Section 1. It is the primary duty of all members to serve the public by giving the best professional
services to the patient and client, and to conduct himself / herself in a manner that uplift the veterinary
profession.
Section 2. In case of calamities or natural disasters the Veterinarian is encouraged to assist in
alleviating the sufferings of animals in their vicinity.
Section 3. Members of the association may involve or volunteer themselves in socio-civic projects of
delivering of veterinary services, most especially in underprivileged areas.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Veterinarian to report to duly designated authorities cases of
animal diseases of economic and or of public health importance and or according to reportable
diseases.
Section 5. A Veterinarian who engages in a commercial enterprise that directly/indirectly concerns
animal health and production must conduct the business in such a manner that Veterinary ethical
standards are maintained.
Section 6. A Veterinarian must not sell biologicals to any layman without prescription.
Section 7. It is undesirable both from a professional and public point of view that a Veterinarian in the
conduct of his/her private practice should be subject to the direction or control of a lay person or
persons.
Section 8. A Veterinarian should observe all laws, upholds the honor and dignity of the profession and
accept its self-imposed discipline.
Section 9. The issuance of official documents or regulations pertaining to the practice of Veterinary
medicine, like certificate of health and the likes, the Veterinarian shall indicate or affix his/her signature
indicating Professional Regulation Commission(PRC) registration or professional Veterinary License
Number, Professional Tax Receipt(PTR) and Tax Identification Number(TIN) in the said document(s) .
ARTICLE III
ADVERTISEMENT
Section 1. Subject to existing provision of the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association Code of
Ethics (Article IV, Section 31-36) a Veterinarian may advertise his field of practice.
Section 2. In addition, no Veterinarian, clinic or entity should not use the logo and the name of VPAP
without the consent of the association.
ARTICLE IV
ENVIRONMENT
Section 1. As professionals and concerned with public health as well as protecting the environment, it
is the duty of practicing Veterinarian to follow proper procedures in disposals of waste materials,
carcasses, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biological, used instruments and medical supplies, most
specially material of infectious origin as per guidance of Philippine laws on environment protection.
ARTICLE V
ANIMAL WELFARE
Section 1. The well-being of animals is a prime responsibility of Veterinarians. They are called on to
oversee and treat animal diseases, develop programs of preventive medicine, and administer a variety
of regulations related to hygiene and epidemic control. It is the objective of this ruling to prevent or
reduce suffering of a stricken animal and to promote the well-being.
Section 2. It is ethical to use the animal for food, clothing, recreation, work and research.
Section 3. Standards of Husbandry and Production. Normally acceptable standards could often be
improved. Husbandry that leads to high levels of morbidity and mortality in livestock is readily
recognized as poor. Low standards maybe the result of ignorance, gross errors, or deliberate neglect.
The aim of a Veterinarian is to rectify and eliminate poor husbandry levels whether for livestock, pets,
laboratory animals, or captive wild animals.
Section 4. Veterinary Care. Animal health and welfare are obviously related. The basic practical
objectives in animal welfare is to prevent diseases, the specialized domain of Veterinary Medicine
termed animal health.
Section 5. Control of Suffering. Animal welfare has an implicit role to provide aid for animals in state
of crises, adversity, and suffering which ensures monumental or medical aid in any distress. The forms
of welfare at such time may range from first aid through therapy, to rescue. The animal in pain may
need anesthesia, tranquilization or analgesia or if the life of the animal cannot be saved, the ultimate
course of action may be euthanasia.
ARTICLE VI
SUMMARY FOR SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES AND APPLICABILITY
Section 1. Scope. This rule shall govern the summary procedure for settlement of disputes arising from
violation of VPAP’s code of ethics in relation to the PVMA’s code of ethics. This rule shall not apply
to a case where the practitioner’s course of action (complaint) is subject to jurisdiction of regular courts
nor to a case where the offense charged is within the competent jurisdiction of the VPAP.
Section 2. Determination of Applicability. Upon receipt of a written complaint, the VPAP Ethics
Committee shall issue an order declaring
whether or not case shall be governed by this rule.
Section 3. Pleadings. The only pleading allowed to be filed are the complaint and the answer thereto
and no other. All pleadings shall be verified.
Section 4. Composition and Duty of the VPAP Ethics Committee.
4.1. Membership of the Ethics Committee.
4.1.1. A minimum of three with a maximum of five members shall be nominated by the general
members every election period.

4.1.2. Qualified for nomination shall be past officers of VPAP, incumbent officers are disqualified.

4.1.3 It shall be the duty of past members of the committee to endorse any case filed within the period
of office to the new officers of the committee within one month after the oath of new officers.

4.1.4. Members should be at least five (5) years of VPAP membership.

4.2. Duty of the Ethics and Legal Committee. Within fifteen (15) days after the committee
determines that the case falls under this procedure, They may, from an examination of the allegation
therein and such evidence as may be attached thereto, dismiss the case outright if no meritorious
ground is apparent there from. If no ground for dismissal is found, it shall forthwith issue an order,
which shall state that this procedure shall apply.
Section 5. Answer. Within ten (10) days from service of the order the respondent shall file his answer
to the complaint and serve a copy thereof on the complainant.
Section 6. Effect of Failure to Answer. Should the respondent fail to answer the complaint within the
period above provided, the ethics committee, on motion of the complainant shall render judgment as
may be warranted by the facts alleged in the complaint and limited to admonition, for first violation;
reprimand with fine of five thousand pesos (P5,000.00), for second violation; suspension with fine of
ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00), for third violation; or expulsion, for fourth violation, as the case may
be, from VPAP Membership.
Section 7. Preliminary Conference. Appearance of Parties not later than thirty (30) days after the
answer is filed, a preliminary conference shall be held at the VPAP Center without the assistance of
counsels. The failure of the complainant to appear in the preliminary conference without valid excuse
shall be a cause for the dismissal of his complaint.
Section 8. Record of Preliminary Conference. Within five (5) days after the termination of the
preliminary conference, the VPAP Ethics Committee shall issue an order stating the matters taken up
therein, including but not limited to:
8.1. Whether the parties have arrived at an amicable settlement, and if so, the terms thereof.

8.2. The stipulations or admissions entered into by the parties.

8.3. Whether, on the basis of the pleadings and the stipulations and admissions made by the parties,
judgment shall be rendered within thirty (30) days from issuance of the order.

8.4. Such other matters intended to expedite the disposition of the case.
Section 9. Submission of affidavits and position papers or the expiration of the period for filing the
same, the Ethics Committee shall render judgment limited to the dismissal of the complaint or
harmonization, reprimand with fine, suspension or expulsion, as the case may be, from VPAP
membership. The committee shall not resort to clarify procedures to gain time for the rendition of the
judgment.
Section 10. Affidavits. The affidavits required to be submitted under this rule shall state only facts of
direct personal knowledge of the faints which are admissible in evidence, and shall be cause to expunge
the inadmissible affidavit or portion thereof from the record.
Section 11. Strict application of the periods. Other than the rules herein which are liberally
construed, the periods provided for filing of pleadings are strictly applied.
Section 12. The decision of the Ethics Committee is final and executor, upon confirmation of the
VPAP board.
ARTICLE VII
EFFECTIVITY
Section 1. This Code shall take effect within 15 days after ratification on June 21, 2002 during the 30th
VPAP Annual Scientific Conference held at the Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City.
Section 2. This Code of Ethics shall be published in the VPAP Forum Newsletter and/ or in the
souvenir programs of annual scientific conferences.