Introduction to recommendations on Veterinary Services

Article 3.1.1.

Veterinary Services are critical to global and national health security, food security and food safety, agricultural and rural development, poverty alleviation, safe national and international trade, wildlife health and environmental protection; as such they are considered a global public good. To achieve these goals, Veterinary Services require good governance, including effective policy and management, personnel and resources, veterinary professionals and collaboration with stakeholders in a One Health approach, involving all relevant sectors and disciplines across the human-animal-environment interface.

Member Countries have the sovereign right to structure and manage the delivery of animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health in the veterinary domain in their countries as they consider appropriate. The veterinary domain covers a broad scope of possible activities. Section 3 focuses on aspects of the Veterinary Services that enable the WOAH standards to be met even when under the responsibility of one or more Competent Authorities.

Member Countries should implement the WOAH standards across their whole territory and should meet their obligations at the international level through representation by their respective WOAH Delegate. The Veterinary Authority, including the WOAH Delegate, should coordinate with other Competent Authorities to ensure that international standards and responsibilities are met.

Veterinary Services have responsibility for implementing the activities necessary for the Member Country to comply with WOAH standards. These activities can be delivered by a combination of individuals or organisations, public or private, that are responsible to one or more Competent Authorities. Veterinary Services also include the personnel of the Competent Authorities themselves. The term Veterinary Services refers to the combination of a number of separate actors, with different organisational affiliations.

Section 3 provides standards to assist the Veterinary Services of Member Countries in meeting their objectives of improving terrestrial animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health, as well as in establishing and maintaining confidence in their international veterinary certificates.

nb: first adopted in 2021; most recent update adopted in 2022.