A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide veterinarians with immunity from liability for reporting animal cruelty.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 47 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14‑360.1.  Immunity for veterinarian reporting animal cruelty.
Any veterinarian licensed in this State who has reasonable cause to believe that an animal has been the subject of animal cruelty in violation of G.S. 14‑360 and who makes a report of animal cruelty, or who participates in any investigation or testifies in any judicial proceeding that arises from a report of animal cruelty, shall be immune from civil liability, criminal liability, and liability from professional disciplinary action and shall not be in breach of any veterinarian‑patient confidentiality, unless the veterinarian acted in bad faith or with a malicious purpose. It shall be a rebuttable presumption that the veterinarian acted in good faith. A failure by a veterinarian to make a report of animal cruelty shall not constitute grounds for disciplinary action under G.S. 90‑187.8."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2007.