Vet given new suspension over medicine import

A vet who imported contaminated medication without a certificate, before supplying it to greyhound racing trainers, has been given a second six-month suspension from practice.

An RCVS disciplinary committee heard the incident involving Nebojsa Petrovic occurred when he was already under investigation over conduct for which he was previously suspended.

But, despite expressing concern at what it described as his “persistent disregard for regulatory legislation”, the panel found there was no significant risk of further, similar, wrongdoing.

Three allegations

Newly published documents show Dr Petrovic admitted three primary allegations, and that his actions amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, during a three-day hearing last month.

The case related to the importation and distribution of around 2,000 tablets, purported to be norethisterone, which he had arranged to be shipped from India without a Special Importation Certificate (SIC), between June and October 2022.

At the time, there was a shortage of the drug, whose use is authorised for suppression of a bitch’s season, in the UK.

Track vet

Dr Petrovic, who was a licensed track vet at the Harlow stadium in Essex, told the committee he had feared racing could cease without it, potentially presenting its own welfare risks.

He also said he had believed the supplier was legitimate though he accepted he should have both contacted the VMD and applied for an SIC.

Analysis of samples from the tablets obtained following what was described as a “large number” of positive test results among race participants revealed they also contained several other substances including cetirizine, beta/dexamethasone, atenolol, salbutamol, ethisterone, fluocinolone, mefenamic acid and testosterone propionate.

GBGB proceedings

The report said the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which governs the sport, had brought its own disciplinary proceedings against Dr Petrovic and at least two trainers who had given the contaminated tablets to their greyhounds.

The GBGB also referred the matter to the college and the VMD, the latter of which took no further action on the importation but did confirm Dr Petrovic had previously applied for an SIC for another product in 2021.

Lawyers for the college argued that Dr Petrovic’s actions breached “two of the most important principles of the profession”, the promotion of animal welfare and responsible use of medicines.

Separate case

The committee was also told the incident had happened when he would have been aware that he was being investigated for a separate case linked to the exportation of horses, for which he served a separate six-month suspension in 2024.

But, while it considered that to be an aggravating factor, the committee concluded that a more severe sanction would be disproportionate as he had practiced without incident since the current case.

The report also noted Dr Petrovic had made early admissions to both the college and GBGB and had ceased supplying the tables when he learned they were contaminated.