36-12-22. Grounds for refusal, suspension, or revocation of license and certificate. The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners may, in compliance with chapter 1-26, either refuse to issue a license or refuse to issue a certificate of registration or suspend or revoke a license and certificate of registration upon any of the following grounds:

(1) Fraud or deception in procuring the license;

(2) The publication or use of any untruthful or improper statement, or representation, with a view of deceiving the public, or any client or customer in connection with the practice of veterinary medicine;

(3) Habitual intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquors, or habitual addiction to the use of morphine, cocaine, or other habit-forming drugs; or entry of a plea of guilty to, or nolo contendere to, or conviction of a violation of any federal or state law relating to controlled drugs or substances;

(4) Immoral, unprofessional, or dishonorable conduct manifestly disqualifying the licensee from practicing veterinary medicine;

(5) Malpractice, including failure to furnish to the board, upon written application by it, any report or information relating thereto;

(6) The employment of an unlicensed person to perform work which under this chapter can lawfully be done only by persons licensed to practice veterinary medicine;

(7) Fraud or dishonest conduct in applying or reporting diagnostic biological tests or in issuing health certificates;

(8) Failure to keep one's premises in a reasonably clean and sanitary condition and failure to use reasonably sanitary methods in the practice of veterinary medicine;

(9) The use, prescription, or sale of any veterinary prescription drug in the absence of a valid veterinary client-patient relationship;

(10) Professional incompetence which constitutes a deviation from the statewide standard of competence, which is that minimum degree of skill and knowledge necessary for the performance of characteristic tasks of a veterinarian in at least a reasonably effective way.Source: SDC 1939, § 40.0206; SL 1961, ch 201, § 13; revised pursuant to SL 1972, ch 15, § 4; SL 1993, ch 279, § 4; SL 2001, ch 204, § 1; SL 2005, ch 199, § 39.