Report to the State Auditor
Report to the State Auditor
Report to the State Auditor: File a complaint with State Auditor Dave Boliek https://www.auditor.nc.gov/
Fill out the on-line web form
Call toll-free: 1-800-730-8477
Fax: 919-807-7647
Email Tipline@ncauditor.gov
Write to:
State Auditor’s Tipline
20601 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
How the State Auditor’s Authority Applies to the NCVMB
The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board (NCVMB) is a state agency for purposes of oversight. Its members are state appointees, it exercises delegated governmental power, and it administers a state regulatory program. As a result, it falls within the jurisdiction of the Office of the State Auditor (OSA).
The State Auditor investigates allegations of improper governmental conduct by state agencies and state officials. That authority applies when the NCVMB:
Fails to carry out its statutory enforcement duties
Uses its authority in ways that contradict the law
Administers the veterinary regulatory program in a manner that creates a risk to public health and safety
Below is how each part of the Auditor’s standard maps directly onto NCVMB conduct.
1. “Mismanagement or Waste of State Resources”
How this applies to NCVMB
The NCVMB collects licensing fees, renewal fees, and penalties for the purpose of regulating veterinary medicine and protecting the public.
If the Board:
Accepts complaints but does not meaningfully investigate them
Routinely declines enforcement regardless of evidence
Maintains an enforcement system that functions only on paper that can constitute mismanagement or waste, because public funds are being spent on an agency that is not performing its core statutory function.
This is especially relevant if:
Investigations are closed without documented analysis
Enforcement outcomes are inconsistent or unexplained
Staff time and resources are expended without producing lawful outcomes
2. “Violations of State or Federal Law, Rule, or Regulation in Administering Programs”
How this applies to NCVMB
The NCVMB administers a state regulatory program created by statute.
This provision is triggered when the Board:
Fails to enforce mandatory statutory requirements
Applies standards that do not exist in law
Ignores statutory duties related to discipline, transparency, or due process
Substitutes informal “policy” for enacted law
Importantly, non-enforcement itself can be a violation when the statute requires action. A board does not have discretion to nullify the law by refusing to apply it.
If the NCVMB’s practices contradict the General Statutes, that is not a policy disagreement — it is a program administration violation.
3. “Substantial and Specific Danger to the Public Health and Safety”
How this applies to NCVMB
Veterinary medicine directly affects:
Animal welfare
Zoonotic disease control
Public health
Consumer safety
If the NCVMB:
Fails to discipline veterinarians for conduct that endangers animals or the public
Ignores repeat or systemic violations
Allows unsafe practices to continue without intervention that can constitute a substantial and specific danger — particularly when non-enforcement allows known risks to persist.
This is one of the strongest grounds for Auditor involvement, because the NCVMB exists specifically to prevent harm.
What This Means in Plain Language
The State Auditor does not only investigate stolen money.
It also investigates when a state board:
Is legally required to enforce the law but does not
Uses public money to operate a system that fails in practice
Administers a regulatory program in a way that undermines public safety
A licensing board that consistently refuses to enforce its statutes can fall squarely within the Auditor’s jurisdiction.
How to Frame a Report About NCVMB Non-Enforcement
For an effective Auditor complaint, the issue should be framed as:
Systemic failure, not a single disagreement
Statutory noncompliance, not professional judgment
Program administration, not malpractice
Key phrases that align with Auditor authority include:
“Failure to administer a state regulatory program in accordance with statute”
“Mismanagement of licensing and enforcement resources”
“Non-enforcement creating a substantial risk to public health and safety”
“Use of informal practices that contradict enacted law”
Advocacy Takeaway
If the NCVMB is not enforcing the law, that is not merely an internal board issue.
It can be:
Mismanagement of a state agency
A violation of statutory duties
A public safety concern
Those are exactly the kinds of issues the Office of the State Auditor is authorized to investigate.