West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 178 - Racing Commission › Title 178 - LEGISLATIVE RULE RACING COMMISSION › Series 178-02 - Greyhound Racing › Part 8 - GREYHOUND WELFARE, HEALTH AND MEDICATION › Section 178-2-51 - Medications and Drugs

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
51.1. No
				  greyhound participating in a race shall have been given or administered any
				  internal or external substance, narcotic, stimulant, local anesthetic or drug
				  which is foreign to the natural greyhound. Innocuous compounds, such as
				  flea/tick products are permitted under this rule and must be reported to Racing
				  Commission Veterinarian prior to weigh-in and approved by die judges.
51.2. The trainer is the absolute insurer of
				  and is responsible for die condition of die greyhound entered in a race,
				  regardless of the acts of third parties. However, the owner of the greyhound,
				  the foreman in charge of the greyhound, the attendant and any other person
				  shown to have had the care, or attendance, of die greyhound may also be found
				  in violation of this rule by die judges.
51.3. Any moneys and/or prizes won by a
				  greyhound found to have been administered a substance in violation of this
				  section shall be forfeited and redistributed.
51.4. An investigation by the Racing
				  Commission or the association into an alleged violation of this section may
				  result in the judges suspending all greyhounds racing out of the investigated
				  kennel pending the conclusion of die investigation.
51.5. Any portion of die purse, if not
				  already paid, which is to be redistributed in accordance with the provisions of
				  this section, shall be held until the redistribution is approved by die judges.
				  This subsection applies only to the amount payable to die owner or owners of
				  the disqualified greyhound and shall not prevent payment due to other
				  greyhounds in the race pending approval of the judges.
51.6. Urine, blood and other specimens shall
				  be taken and tested from the greyhounds as the judges or die Racing Commission
				  Veterinarian may designate. The Racing Commission Veterinarian or other persons
				  designated by him/her shall collect the specimens. Testing is conducted under
				  the supervision of the Racing Commission.
51.7. Samples collected may be frozen. All
				  samples shall be submitted to a laboratory approved by the Racing Commission,
				  to be known as official laboratory. The racing association shall pay all
				  laboratory expenses for sample analysis.
51.8. The official laboratory selected by the
				  Racing Commission shall be accredited by the Association of Official Racing
				  Chemists. The official laboratory shall make all reports directly to the Racing
				  Commission Veterinarian.
51.9. Each
				  specimen shall be marked and bear any information that may be essential to its
				  proper analysis. The identity of die greyhound from which the specimen was
				  taken or the identity of its owner, trainer or kennel shall not be revealed to
				  die official laboratory or its staff. The container of each specimen shall be
				  sealed as soon as die specimen is placed in it.
51.10. No action shall be taken by the judges
				  on the report of die official laboratory unless and until the substance or drug
				  has been properly identified as well as the greyhound from which the specimen
				  was taken nor until such time as an official report signed by the chemist has
				  been received by the judges.
51.11.
				  The winner and any other greyhounds that the judges may designate shall be
				  taken immediately after the race to the testing area for the taking of
				  specimens of body fluids and eliminations as directed by the Racing Commission
				  Veterinarian.
51.12. The Judges or
				  Racing Commission Veterinarian may also require the taking of specimens from
				  any greyhound kenneled at an association during a race meeting.
51.13. The owner, trainer or authorized
				  representative shall witness die taking of any specimen from his/her greyhound
				  and sign the sample tag on such specimen. If, for any reason, the trainer is
				  not or cannot be present at die time of collection die specimen from his/her
				  greyhound, the person actually in custody of the greyhound is deemed authorized
				  to witness the taking and sealing of the specimen and has the trainer's
				  authority to sign as witness to this action. Provided, die Racing Commission
				  Veterinarian is authorized to take any spceimen from the greyhound while in the
				  lock-out kennel without the presence or witness of the owner, trainer or
				  authorized representative.
51.14.
				  No owner, trainer or authorized representative may willfully fail to witness
				  the taking of a specimen, or impede, prevent or otherwise interfere with die
				  taking of any specimen, or refuse to sign die specimen tag to the taking of a
				  specimen. Such conduct shall be reported to the judges, who may subject the
				  person or persons guilty of the interference to immediate suspension from the
				  meeting. However, any owner, trainer, or authorized representative may sign,
				  under protest, die specimen tag as long as die reason for the protest is stated
				  in writing and given to the Racing Commission Veterinarian.
51.15. The Racing Commission Veterinarian,
				  the judges or authorized representatives of die Racing Commission may
				  confiscate any substances or other items suspected of containing improper
				  substances which could affect the racing condition of a greyhound in a race,
				  which may be found in the kennels or elsewhere on the racetracks or in die
				  possession of such tracks or any person connected with racing. These substances
				  or items shall be delivered to die official laboratory for analysis under die
				  same conditions as are prescribed for analysis of saliva and urine. Once
				  returned from die official laboratory, the Racing Commission may, if necessary,
				  maintain custody of the confiscated medicine or items.