governmental veterinary services

governmental veterinary services

veterinary services provided by the public sector. In former communist and many Third World countries all veterinary as well as other professional services are provided by governments. In western countries it is usual to divide the services between government and the public sector. The dividing line is set at different levels in different countries and fluctuates depending on the socialist inclinations of the government of the day. At present there is a general move towards governments withdrawing from some of the field or towards setting up a government-owned 'consumer pays' service. In general governments accept responsibility for diseases and management systems that have implications for farmers over a wide area, or where losses are going to be more than an individual farmer can possibly bear, or when the country's or state's capacity to export animal products is threatened.