Current trends in animal law and their implications for the veterinary profession

In the last decade, the veterinary profession has experienced many changes, including the birth of a new area of law known as "animal law," and an increased scrutiny by the legal community and veterinary state boards. This article provides a sampling of some of the more challenging issues the profession is facing in the early part of the 21st century, namely, guardianship versus ownership, the awarding of noneconomic damages in negligence lawsuits, and challenges in maintaining medical records.