Md. Code Regs. 08.03.12.15 - Animal Health and Care
A. The food provided
for the animal shall be wholesome, palatable, free from contamination, and of
sufficient quantity and nutritional value to maintain the animal in good health. The
diet shall be prepared with consideration for the age, species, condition, size, and
type of the animal. Animals shall be fed at least once daily, except during normal
hibernation, veterinary treatment, normal fasts, or other professionally accepted
practices.
B. Food receptacles, if used,
shall be adequate to provide food in sufficient quantity, accessible to all animals
in the enclosure, and placed to minimize contamination. The receptacles shall be
kept clean. If self-feeders are used, measures shall be taken to prevent molding,
contamination, deterioration, or caking of the food.
C. If potable water is not accessible to animals
at all times, it shall be provided as often as necessary for the health and comfort
of the animal.
D. Animals shall be
observed at least once every day by the permittee or by a designated in-shelter
assistant working under the rehabilitator's direct supervision.
E. Excreta shall be removed from primary
enclosures as often as necessary to prevent contamination of animals, minimize
disease, and reduce odors. When enclosures are cleaned by hosing or flushing, the
animals shall be protected from being directly sprayed.
F. After the presence of an animal with an
infectious disease, cages, rooms, and hard surfaced pens or runs shall be sanitized.
Sanitized means either washing with hot water and soap or detergent, as in a
mechanical washer, or by washing all soiled surfaces with a detergent solution. This
procedure shall be followed by a safe and effective disinfectant, or by cleaning all
soiled surfaces with saturated live steam under pressure. Pens or runs using gravel,
sand, or dirt shall be cleaned when necessary as directed by the veterinary
consultant.
G. Areas in which the
animals are housed shall be kept clean to protect the animals from injury and
stress. Trash shall be placed in designated areas and cleared as necessary to
protect the health of the animals.
H. A
safe and effective program for the control of insects, ectoparasites such as fleas,
ticks, and flies, and avian and mammalian pests, shall be established and
maintained. The pest control program shall be established and maintained under the
supervision of the permittee's veterinarian consultant.
I. Programs for disease prevention, euthanasia,
and adequate veterinary care shall be established and maintained under the
supervision of the permittee's veterinarian consultant.
J. Handling of animals shall be kept to a minimum,
but when necessary shall be done expeditiously and carefully to prevent discomfort,
behavioral stress, or physical harm to the animal or harm to the handler. Human
contact with animals being rehabilitated shall be kept to a minimum.
K. An animal being rehabilitated may not be
publicly exhibited.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.