Sec.22-332b-9. Standards for housing, care, treatment, handling and disposition of dogs

(a) The activity shall be under the direction of a person or persons with qualifications acceptable to the state department of health who shall be designated by the licensee as responsible for the operation of the facility licensed. Except for limited activities and with express approval of the commissioner of health, the following are the minimum acceptable qualifications;

(1) Possession of an earned doctoral degree from a recognized college or university in veterinary medicine, medicine, dentistry or the biological sciences, or

(2) essentially equivalent specialized education, training and experience.

(b) The licensee may be required to employ other personnel with such qualifications as the commissioner of health deems reasonable and necessary for the activity licensed.

(c) The premises in which dogs are quartered or used shall be adequate in size for the number of dogs housed or used therein.

(d) The licensee shall at all times maintain the dogs in a manner providing a minimum of bodily discomfort compatible with the activity licensed.

(e) When a licensee has acquired ownership of a dog or dogs for medical or biological research or study, he shall promptly cause such dog or dogs to be transported to the facility licensed under conditions compatible with humane and sanitary maintenance.

(f) Dogs shall at all times be kindly and humanely treated and provided with adequate amounts of wholesome, nutritious food and of clean water from a source acceptable to the state department of health. Inhumane exposure of dogs to extremes of temperature and humidity shall be avoided at all times.

(g) Quarters shall be of such size that each animal may stand, sit and lie in a normal position and turn around with ease.

(h) The licensee shall provide reasonable facilities for the removal and disposal of excreta and such other facilities for maintenance of animal health, comfort and exercise as the commissioner of health may require.

(i) Quarters shall be kept clean, well lighted and ventilated and be maintained at a proper temperature. After being vacated and before being reoccupied they shall be cleaned by procedures acceptable to the state department of health for the prevention of spread of communicable diseases.

(j) Surgery or experimental procedures capable of inducing discomfort greater than that attending anaesthetization shall not be performed without proper administration of a suitable anaesthetic and the dog shall be maintained under such anaesthesia until the operation or experimental procedure is completed. Exceptions to this are permissible only when provisions for maximum comfort, including anaesthesia, would defeat the object of the experiment and then only by direction of a person qualified in the judgment of the commissioner of health to evaluate the need for and conditions of the procedure.

(k) Surgery shall be performed under strict asepsis whenever the animal is expected to survive. No dog shall be used for two or more successive painful experiments unless it is a part of the original operation.

(l) When a surgical or experimental procedure has been performed on a dog which will continue to cause discomfort or pain to the animal or might significantly shorten its normal life expectancy, the animal shall be destroyed painlessly by intravenous injection of a drug acceptable to the commissioner of health. This shall be done promptly upon conclusion of a reasonable postoperative or post experimental observation period during which the animal shall be given care to minimize discomfort equivalent to that which would be rendered to human beings under similar circumstances.

(m) Bodies of dead animals shall be disposed of promptly by incineration or by other means approved by the commissioner of health.

(n) Premises wherein dogs are quartered or used shall be open for inspection to an agent of the state department of health at all times.