Veterinary practices collect and store a substantial amount of sensitive data — client contact information, payment records, patient histories, and increasingly, data generated by digital diagnostic equipment and cloud-connected practice management systems. That data is valuable, and it is at risk. Cyberattacks on small and medium-sized healthcare-adjacent businesses, including veterinary practices, have increased significantly in recent years as criminals recognize that smaller organizations often lack the cybersecurity infrastructure of larger healthcare networks.
Mandelbaum Barrett PC attorneys Peter Tanella and Steven Teppler co-authored a cybersecurity article for Today’s Veterinary Business. Tanella advises veterinary practices on business, regulatory, and employment matters, while Teppler brings extensive knowledge of data privacy, cybersecurity law, and technology litigation. Together, their article provides veterinary practice owners and managers with practical guidance on the legal and operational dimensions of cybersecurity risk. The firm’s health care law practice includes counseling for veterinary businesses navigating the increasingly complex data security environment.
Why Veterinary Practices Are Targets
Veterinary practices are attractive targets for cybercriminals for several reasons. They store payment card data and client records spanning years of relationships. Many run practice management systems that were not designed with modern cybersecurity in mind. Staff may have limited security training, and the pace of a busy clinical environment makes consistent security discipline challenging. Unlike hospitals or large health systems, most veterinary practices do not have dedicated IT security personnel — meaning threats may go undetected longer before being identified and addressed.
Ransomware attacks — in which criminals encrypt a practice’s data and demand payment to restore access — have been particularly disruptive for veterinary businesses. A practice that cannot access its scheduling, medical records, or billing systems faces immediate operational consequences and significant financial risk regardless of whether it pays the ransom or not.
Legal Obligations and Incident Response
Although veterinary records are not subject to HIPAA, veterinary practices have legal obligations related to data security under applicable state laws. Many states, including New Jersey, have enacted data breach notification laws requiring businesses to notify affected clients when their personal information is compromised. New Jersey’s statute covers a broad range of sensitive personal information that veterinary practices commonly hold — meaning a breach of client payment data or personal records can trigger notification obligations that must be handled promptly and correctly.
Having an incident response plan in place before a breach occurs is essential. A plan that identifies who to contact, what steps to take, and what legal obligations are triggered by different types of incidents allows a practice to respond faster and more effectively — reducing both the operational disruption and the potential legal exposure when a security event occurs.
According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, ransomware attacks against small businesses across all sectors have increased substantially, and proactive preparation — including regular data backups, staff training, and incident response planning — is the most effective defense available to organizations of all sizes.
Contact Mandelbaum Barrett PC for Cybersecurity and Veterinary Law Guidance
If you have questions about cybersecurity legal obligations, data breach response, or other matters affecting your veterinary practice in New Jersey, the team at Mandelbaum Barrett PC can help.
Reach out through our contact page to speak with our team. We are here to help veterinary practices protect themselves and respond effectively when security incidents occur.