| (1) |
A veterinary professional may advertise his/her services, products and facilities or permit another person to do so without limitation on the size, format, artistic or literary style: Provided that the advertisement complies with the provisions of these rules and shall in no way compromise or impair any of the following, namely— |
| (a) |
the client's freedom to consult a veterinary professional of his/her choice; and |
| (b) |
the good reputation of the veterinary profession. |
| (2) |
All advertising by a veterinary professional shall be in good taste with regard to content, prominence and medium and may not be offensive to any cultural, religious or linguistic community or be contrary to the spirit of the code of conduct of the veterinary profession. |
| (3) |
Subject to the provisions of rule 15(7) and 15(8) the content of an advertisement shall be limited to— |
| (i) |
the nature of the services rendered; and |
| (ii) |
the products, merchandise and foodstuffs stocked and sold; |
| (b) |
the address at which such services are rendered and the products, merchandise and foodstuffs sold; |
| (c) |
the times the services are provided; |
| (d) |
the name of the veterinary professional concerned; and |
| (4) |
An advertisement describing a specific veterinary animal care service direct to the public shall contain the telephone number of the veterinary professional concerned as well as information regarding emergency and out-of-hours service. |
| (5) |
A veterinary group, however, may advertise without any limitation on the content of an advertisement subject to the requirements of rule 15(7): Provided that the advertisement concerned has the approval of the majority of its members. |
| (6) |
The responsibility for ensuring that a group advertisement complies with the standards required by these rules shall be borne by the Chairperson or President, and executive committee of the group and in all other cases by the veterinary professional submitting the advertisement. |
[Subrule (6) substituted by section 7 of Notice 868 of 2009]
| (7) |
Advertisements shall not— |
| (a) |
be misleading in any respect; |
| (b) |
compare the quality of services, products, merchandise and/or foodstuffs provided, the standards of facilities and/or the knowledge or expertise of a veterinary professional with that of another veterinary professional or the veterinary profession generally, nor may it claim to be superior in any respect; |
| (c) |
criticise the quality of services, products, merchandise and/or foodstuffs provided by another veterinary professional; and |
| (d) |
have fees and incentives that relate to any services that pertain specially to the veterinary profession as the subject of any advertisement. Prices of products, merchandise and foodstuffs sold and services that do not pertain specially to the veterinary profession rendered at the facility may, however, be advertised. Incentives including the word "discount" may be used when advertising such products, merchandise and foodstuffs and non-veterinary services provided that the advertisement clearly states that incentives and discounts do not apply to any services that pertain specially to the veterinary profession. |
[Subrule (7)(d) substituted by section 8 of Notice No. 868 of 2009]
| (8) |
No veterinary professional other than a specialist registered as such with the Council may claim that he/she is a specialist or an expert in a a particular field in any advertisement. |
| (9) |
A veterinary professional may advertise that he/she has a particular interest in a certain species, organ or discipline: Provided that the advertisement indicates that the veterinary professional is a general practitioner with such a particular interest. |
| (10) |
A veterinary professional shall not collude with any person to ensure that his/her advertisement appears adjacent to an article and/or advertorial published by such person if the said article and/or advertorial would be in contravention of these rules if published by a veterinary professional. |
| (11) |
If a veterinary professional is identified in any way in an article, then an advertisement by such veterinary professional may not appear on the same page as the article. |
| (12) |
A veterinary professional shall not utilise a pop-up or pop-under advertisement in connection with computer accessed communications other than on the veterinary professional's own web site or other internet presence. |
[Subrule (12) inserted by section 9 of Notice No. 868 of 2009]
| (13) |
A veterinary professional may refer to the Guideline of Tariffs published on the Council's website www.savc.co.za and may create a link to the relevant webpage in computer accessed communications. |
[Subrule (13) inserted by section 9 of Notice No. 868 of 2009]
Stamp Duties Act, 1968 (Act 77 of 1968)
