55.—(1) A registered person may administer first aid or medical assistance to an animal in an emergency, without obtaining the consent of the owner of the animal.

(2) Subject to any matters prescribed under section 59, a person who is not a registered person may, in an emergency in relation to an animal, save where otherwise prohibited by law, and notwithstanding section 54(1), carry out such treatment or procedure or administer such an animal remedy as he or she considers necessary, having due regard to the welfare of the animal, where a registered person is not available within a reasonable period of time.

(3) Save where otherwise prohibited by law, and notwithstanding anything in this Act, a farmer who is not a registered person, or an employee of the farmer acting in the course of his or her duties who is not a registered person may carry out a treatment or procedure on, or administer an animal remedy to, an animal owned by the farmer provided that carrying out the treatment or procedure on, or administering the animal remedy to, the animal is incidental to the usual care and management of that animal.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), “employee of the farmer” means a person employed by the farmer for at least 2 of the 4 months prior to the treatment or procedure being carried out or the animal remedy being administered.

(5) The Minister may, by regulations, exclude from the application of subsection (3) specified treatments or animal remedies.

(6)  (a) Subject to paragraph (b), notwithstanding anything in this Act, a student of veterinary medicine may do or perform an act matter or thing the doing or performance of which forms part of the practice of veterinary medicine.

(b) The student of veterinary medicine referred to at paragraph (a) shall do or perform the act matter or thing if—

(i) it is required to be done or performed as part of the approved programme of education in which the student is participating,

(ii) it is done or performed under the direct supervision and in the presence of a veterinary practitioner, and

(iii) the act matter or thing is, in the opinion of the person providing that approved programme of education and the veterinary practitioner, appropriate to the knowledge, skill and competence of the student.

(7) In subsection (6) “student of veterinary medicine” means a person who has duly enrolled in, commenced and is participating in an approved programme of education.