Do the requirements for the area of veterinary institutions play a role in obtainment a veterinary practice license?

One of the most frequently asked questions by our Clients intending to set up a veterinary facility concerns the area required for a particular type of a veterinary facility. Our Clients also inquire about the requirements for the premises, because they are not clearly specified in the licensing conditions. 

In this article, we will elaborate on requirements for the area of each type of a veterinary facility, since compliance with such requirements directly affect the process of obtaining the license.

Related article: Personnel Requirements For Veterinary Establishments

Veterinary Station 

The licensing conditions stipulate that the veterinary station shall have: 

• Specialist’s work space;
• Space for drugs and instruments storage
• Space for work clothes, instruments and materials sterilization;
• Space for housekeeping equipment storage.

We’d like to emphasize the word “space”. Veterinary stations are not required to have any separate offices. Therefore, if you want to know whether you can set up a veterinary station in a room of ten square meters, the answer is yes. 

Animals are not examined and treated in the veterinary station, vets provide only outdoor services. Thus, if there is enough area to equip the abovementioned spaces, you can definitely set up the veterinary station.

 Veterinary Outpatient Clinic 

Veterinary outpatient clinic shall have:

• Specialist’s work-room;
• Sterilization room;
• Operating room.

Veterinary outpatient clinic shall also have a reception area, animal house, room for storage of drugs, medical instruments and housekeeping equipment. The three rooms mentioned above is a must. 

The licensee may additionally equip specialized rooms (X-ray room, ultrasonic diagnostics room) in the veterinary outpatient clinic. 

Animal rooms shall be isolated from other rooms. In addition, animals shall not be able to leave the facility on their own. 

The license regulations stipulate neither any requirements for the total area of the veterinary outpatient clinic, nor for for the area of its offices (rooms). That’s why the licensing authorities are given free range to interpret such requirements as they want. Thus, contacting qualified lawyers with extensive experience in obtaining a veterinary license well in advance will significantly save you time and money.

Related article: Our Lawyers Provided Legal Advice And Assistance In Obtaining Veterinary License In June, 2018 

Veterinary Hospital 

The veterinary hospital is subject to the strictest requirements, in particular, for the building to be located in. For example, a veterinary hospital can only be located in a free-standing building, which does not belong to the housing stock. 

The requirements for her inner rooms coincide with the requirements to the veterinary outpatient clinic. 

Related article: Our Lawyers Helped To Set Up an Additional Place  For Veterinary Practice

Any veterinary facility shall be located only on the ground floor and shall have a separate entrance. This means that you can’t just remove a ground floor apartment from the housing stock and convert it into an animal outpatient clinic or a veterinary station. The same holds true for a shopping mall with a common entrance vestibule. 

The animal outpatient clinic or veterinary station can be built in (if the premises have a separate entrance) or added to a building. 

In most cases, the area of the veterinary facilities does not play a significant role in obtaining a license. The key thing is their internal structure, layout and space zoning. On the other hand, failure to comply with the requirements for the premises layout may lead to the refusal to issue a license.

If you want to know whether your premises meet the requirements for a veterinary facility, please contact our specialists. We can also handle the entire procedure of obtaining a veterinary license in the shortest possible time.