N.M. Admin. Code § 16.24.3.8
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 21, November 5, 2024
Section 16.24.3.8 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED EUTHANASIA TECHNICIANS AND AGENCIESA. Euthanasia shall be performed by a licensed euthanasia technician employed or under contract with a licensed euthanasia agency, by a licensed veterinarian, or in the case of emergency field euthanasia, may be performed by a commissioned law enforcement officer by means of gunshot.B. Euthanasia technicians shall scan all companion animals for a microchip and look for a license or other identification tag directly prior to performing euthanasia. Every microchip, license or identification tag located shall be recorded. If a microchip, license or identification tag is found at the time of euthanasia, the licensed euthanasia technician shall verify that all reasonable attempts to contact the owner have been made and only after verification may the euthanasia proceed. If the verification is not possible, then the euthanasia shall be postponed until verification is completed, except in situations in which the animal is in severe, acute distress or is irremediably suffering.C. Euthanasia technicians shall euthanize dogs and cats only by the use of an FDA approved sodium pentobarbital euthanasia solution, or any other board approved euthanasia solutions, with the exception of emergency field euthanasia as provided for in 16.24.3.15 NMAC.D. Euthanasia agencies using controlled substances shall have under contract a consulting pharmacist as defined in the New Mexico Pharmacy Act.E. Euthanasia agencies shall be inspected at least every other calendar year.F. Euthanasia technicians shall euthanize all other non-livestock animals in accordance with Section 61-11-1 Pharmacy Act. et. seq. NMSA 1978 and the applicable methods, recommendations and procedures set forth in 16.24.3.9 NMAC and 16.24.3.12 through 16.24.3.15 NMAC.G. Euthanasia technicians and euthanasia agencies shall maintain storage, security, recordkeeping and disposal methods of controlled substances used for euthanasia as set forth in the board approved euthanasia technician training courses in accordance with the New Mexico pharmacy board and DEA regulations. Euthanasia technicians and euthanasia agencies shall adhere to all existing state and federal laws and protocols.H. Euthanasia agencies shall display material safety data sheets for all drugs used in the euthanasia process in the euthanasia area or shall make such material available and accessible to all employees on the premises.I. Euthanasia technicians may use a sedative or anesthetic as set forth in the board approved euthanasia technician training courses.J. Euthanasia technicians and their assistants shall handle animals humanely as detailed in board approved euthanasia instruction from the commencement of and throughout the euthanasia process. Remains shall be disposed of promptly in compliance with local ordinance.K. A euthanasia agency shall handle, treat and dispose of infectious waste, including but not limited to remains, anatomical body parts, excretions, blood soiled articles and bedding, that are generated from an animal that the agency knows or has reason to suspect has a disease that is capable of being transmitted to humans as follows. (1) All infectious waste will be sterilized or disinfected by heat, steam, chemical disinfection, radiation, or desiccation.(2) Infectious waste held for disposal shall be collected in sanitary leak resistant bags clearly labeled for biohazard disposal. The bag shall contain the gloves worn while collecting the waste and those used in treatment and post mortem examinations of suspect animals.(3) All sharps shall be disposed of in labeled sharps containers. Such containers shall be rigid-sided, solidly sealed containers that are highly resistant to puncture. These containers shall be incinerated or disposed of in an environmentally safe manner by a duly licensed disposer or an approved medical sharps incineration facility or shall be disposed of in such a way as to render the sharps harmless. This disposal shall not apply to infectious waste sharps, which, contained in a puncture resistant container, should be disposed of as described in infectious waste disposal. Due to the small volume of sharps generated in a euthanasia agency, transportation of the filled, sealed containers shall not be mandated by nor limited to commercial haulers.L. A euthanasia agency shall dispose of drugs as follows. (1) The removal and disposal of outdated or unwanted dangerous drugs shall be the responsibility of the consultant pharmacist.(2) Outdated or unwanted controlled substances shall be disposed of through a DEA-registered reverse distributor or pursuant to the requirements of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1307.(3) The transfer of any dangerous drug inventory to another registrant shall be pursuant to the rules of the board of pharmacy and be the responsibility of the consultant pharmacist in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations for the transfer of such drugs.M. A euthanasia agency shall handle waste materials that are generated from an animal that does not have a disease transmissible to humans and is not suspected of being contaminated with an agent capable of infecting humans as provided under this section. (1) Animal remains. (a) A euthanasia technician shall dispose of an animal's remains promptly by release to owner, burial, cremation, incineration, commercial rendering or, if permitted by local ordinance, placement in a public landfill.(b) If prompt disposal of an animal's remains is not possible, the euthanasia technician shall contain the animal's remains in a freezer or store them in a sanitary, non-offensive manner until such time as they can be disposed of as provided above.(2) A euthanasia technician shall dispose of tissues, specimens, bedding, animal waste and extraneous materials, not suspected of harboring pathogens infectious to humans, by approved municipality or county disposal methods.N. In the event of the occurrence of a suspect foreign animal disease or disease of potential concern to state or national security, the euthanasia agency will immediately contact the state veterinarian, the U. S. department of agriculture, and other applicable departments. The euthanasia technician and euthanasia agency shall handle all tissues, laboratory samples, and biomedical waste associated with such cases in accordance with the recommendations made by the state veterinarian, and other departments and agencies, which are deemed necessary and appropriate in such cases.O. It shall be a violation of the act for euthanasia technicians and euthanasia agencies to end an animal's life using the following methods: (5) cervical dislocation;(9) gunshot, excluding properly performed field euthanasia in an emergency situation as defined in 16.24.3.13 NMAC below;(13) acetone or any other industrial solvent;(14) any other chemical agent;(15) intrahepatic injection (IH); and(16) any method not specifically approved by the board.N.M. Admin. Code § 16.24.3.8
16.24.3.8 NMAC - Rp, 16.24.3.8 NMAC, 2/5/14, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 10, May 29, 2018, eff. 7/1/2018, Repealed by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 11, June 12, 2018, eff. 6/30/2018