La. Admin. Code tit. 22 § I-769

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-769 - Equine Health Management

A. Purpose. To establish the deputy secretary's policy regarding the maintenance of equine herd health for all horses at youth services (YS) facilities.

B. Applicability. The deputy secretary, undersecretary or designee, assistant secretaries, deputy assistant secretaries, and facility directors. The directors are responsible for implementing this policy and advising affected employees of its contents.

C. Policy. It is the deputy secretary's policy that all horses, whether privately owned and housed on the facility grounds or owned by YS, be subject to a structured health program designed to ensure humane treatment and to maintain records of all necessary veterinary treatment, vaccinations, and examinations.

D. Procedures

1. "Coggins" Testing for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)

a. All horses owned by YS shall be tested annually for EIA.

b. Privately owned horses kept or brought on facility grounds are also subject to mandatory annual Coggins testing. Testing shall be done at the owner's expense and testing records shall be maintained.

c. Facility staff responsible for maintaining horses shall keep written results of Coggins tests performed on all equine stock under their care.

d. Positive test results shall be reported immediately to the facility director or his designee, who shall notify or consult with a veterinarian for instructions on the disposition or handling of an infected animal.

2. Annual Vaccinations. All horses that come into contact with state owned horses must be vaccinated annually for tetanus, eastern and western encephalomyelitis, and West Nile virus. Records shall be maintained to reflect that each horse has received the annual vaccination.

3. Parasite Control. All state owned horses shall be de-wormed four to six times per year in accordance with a schedule prescribed by a veterinarian.

4. Dental Examinations. All staff responsible for the care of equine stock shall ensure that all state owned horses receive an annual dental examination by a veterinarian. The veterinarian should be authorized to perform routine maintenance as indicated by the dental examination.

5. General Care. Staff should pay careful attention at all times to the overall condition of the horses, including the animals' hooves. Any problems such as lameness, unusual discharge, hair loss, or other signs of sickness, injury, or hoof problems should be corrected immediately if possible or, if necessary, reported to the veterinarian charged with the care of the horses at that facility.

6. Additional Vaccinations. In the event of an outbreak of any disease, or the likelihood thereof, which may affect the equine stock, additional vaccinations or inoculations may be necessary. When a determination is made that additional vaccinations or treatment is necessary, the deputy secretary, his designee, or the director shall issue a directive requiring that all state owned as well as privately owned horses that are kept or brought on the facility grounds be given the necessary treatments.

E. Failure to maintain proof of compliance with this policy or failure to adhere to its provisions relating to privately owned horses could result in an order to immediately remove the animal from the grounds.

La. Admin. Code tit. 22, § I-769

Promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Youth Services, Office of Youth Development, LR 32:1248 (July 2006).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:405, R.S. 3:2095, L.A.C. 7:XXI.521.