(a) The board of veterinary medical examiners, upon submission of a complete application and payment of a fee established by the board, shall issue to any animal control agency that it determines to be qualified a certificate authorizing the agency to apply to the federal drug enforcement agency, including any successor entity, for a restricted controlled substance registration certificate for the purchase, possession and use of sodium pentobarbital or other drugs as authorized by the board for administration by a certified animal euthanasia technician to euthanize injured, sick or abandoned animals. It is a Class B misdemeanor for any person or entity to use or imply that such person or entity has been granted a certificate as a certified animal control agency unless a certificate has been granted under this title.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class B misdemeanorup to 6 monthsup to $500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 63-12-141

  • Animal: means any animal other than man and includes fowl, birds, reptiles and fish, wild or domestic, living or dead. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Board: means the board of veterinary medical examiners. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Certified animal control agency: means a county or municipal animal shelter, dog pound or animal control agency, private humane society, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency, or any combination thereof, that temporarily houses stray, unwanted or injured animals and that is certified pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Certified animal euthanasia technician: means a person employed by a certified animal control agency who is authorized by the board to humanely euthanize animals by administering such drugs as are designated by the board for such use. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Licensed veterinarian: means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Licensed veterinary technician: means a person who has successfully completed the examination requirements prescribed by the board and has been issued a license. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Veterinarian: means a person who has received a doctor of veterinary medicine degree or its equivalent from an approved school or college of veterinary medicine. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
(b) The board, upon submission of a complete application and payment of a fee established by the board, shall issue to any person who it determines to be qualified a certificate for such person to function as a certified animal euthanasia technician. It is a Class B misdemeanor for any person or entity to use or imply that such person or entity has been granted a certificate as a certified animal euthanasia technician unless a certificate has been granted under this title.
(c)Euthanasia of animals. Euthanasia of animals in a certified animal control agency may only be performed by a licensed veterinarian, including a licensed veterinary technician employed by and functioning under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian or a certified animal euthanasia technician as provided by law. A certified animal control agency that employs a certified animal euthanasia technician may purchase, possess and administer sodium pentobarbital or such other drug that the board may approve for the euthanasia of animals. Sodium pentobarbital and such other drugs approved by the board shall be the only drugs used for the euthanasia of animals in a certified animal control agency.
(d)Renewal of Certification. Certified animal control agencies and certified animal euthanasia technicians shall be required to renew their certificates at such intervals, upon such conditions and upon the payment of such fees as may be established by the board.
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