Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 3, September 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
257.160,
321.207,
321.351, Chapter 335B
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
321.207(3) requires the
Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners to issue a certificate to a person who
meets the qualifications of an animal euthanasia specialist and is approved by
the board for a certificate.
KRS
321.235(1)(a), (b), and
(2)(b) 3. authorize the board to promulgate
administrative regulations to implement KRS Chapter 321. This administrative
regulation establishes the qualifications for certification as an animal
euthanasia specialist, renewal, and reinstatement requirements, and the
required course contents for the euthanasia by injection training each
applicant is required to receive.
Section
1. To be eligible for certification as a board-certified animal
euthanasia specialist an applicant shall:
(1)
Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
(2) Be of good moral character;
(3) Not have been convicted of, or entered an
"Alford" plea or plea of nolo contendere to, irrespective of an order granting
probation or suspending imposition of any sentence imposed following the
conviction or entry of the plea, one (1) or more or the following in the last
ten (10) years, subject to the provisions of KRS Chapter 335B:
(a) A felony;
(b) An act involving moral turpitude or gross
immorality; or
(c) A violation of
any law, rule, or administrative regulation of this state, any other state, or
the United States government that involves the use or trafficking of illegal
substances;
(4) Have a
high school diploma or general equivalency degree (GED);
(5) Pay the certification fee as specified in
201 KAR 16:514;
(6) Be employed by a board-certified animal
control agency; and
(7) Have
successfully completed a board approved sixteen (16) hour euthanasia by
injection (EBI) course as established in Section 2 of this administrative
regulation within twelve (12) months prior to application.
Section 2. Euthanasia by Injection (EBI)
Training Course Curriculum.
(1) The
curriculum for the sixteen (16) hour EBI course shall provide information on
the following subjects:
(a) Pharmacology,
proper administration, and storage of euthanasia solutions that shall consist
of a minimum of eight (8) hours;
(b) Federal and state laws regulating the
procurement, management, and disposal for euthanasia drugs and sedation drugs
used to assist in euthanasia;
(c)
Euthanasia specialist stress management and compassion fatigue;
(d) Proper animal handling with emphasis on
easing the trauma and stress to the animal; and
(e) Disposal of euthanized animals.
(2) An EBI training course shall
be reviewed and approved by the board prior to presentation. A provider of an
EBI training shall submit the following information to the board for
consideration of approval:
(a) A published
course or similar description;
(b)
Names and qualifications of current instructors;
(c) A copy of the program agenda indicating
hours of education, refreshment, and lunch breaks;
(d) A copy of the full program
curriculum;
(e) A copy of an
official certificate of completion from the sponsoring agency; and
(f) Upon completion of the instruction of a
sixteen (16)-hour euthanasia course, a complete attendee list to the board,
including the following:
1. The dates and
locations of the course;
2. Each
attendee's full name and address; and
3. Notation by an individual's name if the
course was not completed, or more than fifteen (15) consecutive minutes of any
portion of the course was missed.
Section 3. An application to the board for
certification as an animal euthanasia specialist shall include the following:
(1) A completed application on an Application
for Certification as an Animal Euthanasia Specialist form or online equivalent
form, including all required attachments;
(2) An official copy of final transcripts or
a copy of the applicant's diploma from high school, or GED certificate, or
other highest level of education attained;
(3) A copy of a certificate of completion
from a board approved sixteen (16)-hour euthanasia by injection training
course; and
(4) Payment for the
application fee pursuant to
201 KAR 16:514.
Section 4. Renewal Requirements
for a Certified Animal Euthanasia Specialist.
(1) A board-certified animal euthanasia
specialist shall renew the board certification annually in accordance with
201 KAR 16:572.
(2) Failure to renew the certificate for an
animal euthanasia specialist shall result in expiration of the
certificate.
Section 5.
An individual with an expired animal euthanasia specialist certificate may
reinstate their certificate if not more than five (5) years have elapsed since
the last date of certificate expiration. Reinstatement applications seeking
board approval for certification as an animal euthanasia specialist shall
include the following:
(1) A completed
application on a Reinstatement Application for Animal Euthanasia Specialists
form or online equivalent form, including all required attachments;
(2) Payment for the application fee pursuant
to 201 KAR 16:514; and
(3) Proof of certification in the 16-hour
euthanasia by injection training course pursuant to Section 1(7).
Section 6. An application to the
board for approval for a change in certification status shall be made in
accordance with
201 KAR 16:580.
Section 7. Background Checks. Pursuant to
KRS
321.189, the board may:
(1) Conduct a national or jurisdictional
level background check on each applicant for certification. The check shall be
processed by a board approved background check provider, and may include a copy
of the applicant's fingerprints captured at a board approved
location;
(2) Accept the results of
a state-wide employment background check in lieu of a state or federal
background check if the background check results are not more than six (6)
months old from the date of application;
(3) Reject background checks that do not have
an official seal or watermark, or that are more than ninety (90) days old;
and
(4) Impose additional
administrative or safety requirements as a condition of certification or deny
certification following the board's review of findings from a background
check.
Section 8.
Employment and Termination.
(1) A person may
function as a certified animal euthanasia specialist only while the person
remains employed by a board-certified animal control agency in the Commonwealth
of Kentucky.
(2) Upon termination
of employment with a certified animal control agency, a certified animal
euthanasia specialist's certificate status shall automatically be moved by the
board from an active to inactive status. The inactive certified individual
shall not perform animal euthanasia until the person has obtained employment
with a certified animal control agency with a certificate in active status, and
applied to the board and been approved to move the animal euthanasia specialist
certificate back into active status in accordance with
201 KAR 16:580.
Section 9. Disciplinary Action. A
certified animal euthanasia specialist shall be subject to disciplinary action
pursuant to KRS
321.235 and
321.351 for a violation of state
or federal statutes or administrative regulations.
Section 10. Incorporation by Reference.
(1) The following material is incorporated by
reference:
(a) "Application for Certification
as an Animal Euthanasia Specialist", 07/2023; and
(b) "Reinstatement Application for Animal
Euthanasia Specialists", 07/2023.
(2) This material may be inspected, copied,
or obtained, subjected to applicable copyright law, at the Kentucky Board of
Veterinary Examiners, 107 Corporate Drive, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Monday
through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This material may also be obtained at
www.kybve.com.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
321.207(4)-(7),
321.235(1)(a), (b), (2)(b)3
