Legal responsibilities of veterinarians in the control of zoonotic diseases.

This discussion of legal issues that may arise from the existence of zoonotic diseases is not meant to cause alarm; rather, it is meant to alert members of the profession to possibilities, not probabilities. The very nature of any discussion of legal issues, especially a discussion of case law in which someone is always suing somebody else, exaggerates the true-life situation. Although it is everyone's hope that they will not be involved in litigation, it is wise to be aware of the problems that may arise in connection with zoonotic diseases.