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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 08-1848

NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Order of Guidelines for Destruction of Animals by Drug Overdose

[38 Pa.B. 5669]
[Saturday, October 11, 2008]

Recitals

   A.  The act of December 22, 1983 (P. L. 303, No. 83) (3 P. S. §§ 328.1--328.10) (act) addresses various methods by which animals may be destroyed. Among the responsibilities assigned to the Department of Agriculture (Department) under the act is the responsibility to establish guidelines for the destruction of animals by the administration of an overdose of a barbiturate, barbiturate combinations, a drug or drug combinations approved for the purpose of animal destruction by the Federal Drug Administration. See 3 P. S. § 328.2(a).

   B.  The act requires that the referenced drugs be administered to the animal by intravenous injection, intraperitoneal injection, intracardiac injection or orally. See 3 P. S. § 328.3.

   C.  The act requires that the referenced drugs be administered by a licensed veterinarian. See 3 P. S. § 328.3. There is a limited exception to this requirement that allows for an appropriately-trained nonveterinarian to administer a single drug--sodium pentobarbital--to destroy animals if that person is working for a humane society organization or animal control organization that has obtained a limited license from the State Board of Pharmacy authorizing that organization to purchase, possess and administer that drug for animal euthanization purposes. See 3 P. S. §§ 328.3 and 328.6.

   D.  The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has established its own guidelines addressing destruction of animals. The current edition of these guidelines is titled AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia, and is dated June 2007.

   E.  The AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia address various methods of animal euthanasia, including euthanization through the use of ''noninhalant pharmaceutical agents.''

   F.  The Department believes the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia present a broad, reasonable set of standards that represent the current state of veterinary medical thinking on the subject of animal euthanasia, and that provide understandable and workable guidance for both: (1) veterinary medical practitioners who euthanize animals by drug overdose; and (2) nonveterinarians who possess and use sodium pentobarbital for animal euthanasia under the specific conditions described in the act.

Order

It is hereby ordered that:

   1.  The Recitals set forth previously are incorporated into this Order.

   2.  The most current AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia are adopted as the Department's guidelines for the destruction of animals by administration of an overdose of a barbiturate, barbiturate combination, drug or drug combination authorized by the act.

   3.  The topics addressed in the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia that are most applicable to the destruction of animals by administration of an overdose of a barbiturate, barbiturate combination, drug or drug combination authorized by the act include, but are not limited to, the following:

   a.  general considerations for methods of euthanasia;

   b.  animal behavioral considerations;

   c.  human behavioral considerations;

   d.  modes of action of euthanizing agents;

   e.  noninhalant pharmaceutical agents;

   f.  special considerations; and

   g.  relevant tables and appendices.

   4.  Interested persons may view or download a copy of the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia through the AVMA web site: www.avma.org, or may obtain a copy from the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services, ATTN: Chief, Regulations and Compliance Division, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408, (717) 772-2852.

   5.  This Order does not establish or purport to establish the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia as regulations of this Department. These guidelines do not have the force and effect of law but are, instead, the Department's guidance for persons who destroy animals by the administration of a barbiturate, barbiturate combination, drug or drug combination as authorized by the act.

   6.  This Order shall take effect as of October 11, 2008.

DENNIS C WOLFF,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 08-1848. Filed for public inspection October 10, 2008, 9:00 a.m.]


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