Code of Practice for Veterinary Surgeons Passports and Medicines. European Community (Equine Stud Book & Competition) S. I.

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1 Code of Practice for Veterinary Surgeons Passports and Medicines European Community (Equine Stud Book & Competition) S. I. 399 of Background. This Code of Practice has been agreed between Veterinary Ireland (Equine Group) and the Department of Agriculture and Food to assist veterinary surgeons in the implementation of the requirements of the above-mentioned Regulations. These Regulations require veterinary surgeons to carry out certain actions when administering/prescribing/dispensing substances or medicines to a horse or any other equine. These actions are set out below. 2. Checking the Passport. If you intend to administer, prescribe or dispense any substance or medicine to a horse the following procedure should be followed:- Ask to be shown the passport for the horse. Check that you are satisfied that the passport supplied relates to the horse in question. Note whether the horse is declared as INTENDED for human consumption (Section B) or as NOT INTENDED for human consumption (Section A). If a passport is not available or if you are not satisfied that the passport relates to the horse in question, follow the procedure at Horse declared Not Intended for Human Consumption In this case, it can be treated with drugs licensed in Ireland (i.e. holding a marketing authorisation issued by the IMB, or an AR 16 license issued by DAF) for use in horses. In the absence of a licensed product, the Cascade may be used (i.e. Reg. 40 of the Animal Remedies Regulations, ARR 1996). There is no need to record any drug usage on the passport however, you should note that the recordkeeping requirements under the Animal Remedies Regulations 1996 (Regs. 33 and 40) apply to the veterinary surgeon). 4. Horse declared Intended for Human Consumption or No declaration made Where the horse is intended for human consumption or no declaration has been made in the passport, the procedure set out below should be followed.

2 (a) Annex IV Medicines You may not prescribe/dispense/administer medicines containing substances in Annex IV of European Council Regulation 2377/90. If these substances are given, the horse can NEVER go for human consumption. The full list is Chloramphenicol Chloroform Chlorpromazine Colchicine Dapsone Dimetridazole Furazolidone Metronidazole Nitrofurans Ronidazole If an Annex IV product is administered to a horse, the passport must be signed by the owner and veterinary surgeon in Section A as not intended for human consumption. (b) Annex I, II or III Medicines If an authorised medicine is prescribed/dispensed/administered which contains a substance listed in the above Annexes to European Council Regulation 2377/90, it need not be recorded in the passport. It will have a specific withdrawal period defined on its datasheet. The client should be informed of the withdrawal period. Where medicines are being used under the cascade, the longer of the standard withdrawal period defined in Regulation 40(4) of the ARR 1996, or that defined for the medicine in question, as appropriate, should be specified. (c) Medicines NOT in Annexes I, II, III or IV Medicines authorised in Ireland (i.e. by marketing authorisation issued by IMB or Reg. 16 licence issued by DAF) for use in equines, containing substances not listed in Annexes I, II, III or IV of Regulation 2377/90 (i.e. non-mrl medicines), may be used. These medicines currently show a 6 month withdrawal period on the labels. However, the European Commission are currently drawing up a positive list of these substances that may be used, with a six month withdrawal period, in horses intended for human consumption. Further instructions will issue when the list is published. When this exercise has been completed, we will advise veterinary surgeons of its implications for use of medicines.

3 5. A Horse WITHOUT a Passport If the owner of a horse does not have a passport for a horse, a veterinary surgeon should only prescribe/dispense/administer medicines that are in Annex I, II or III to Regulation 2377/90. However, in a situation where the health or welfare of the horse/foal is at risk and medicines outside the above are required to be administered, such medicines can be administered under the following conditions:- (a) No Passport has been Issued for the animal The veterinary surgeon should inform the owner that if treatment is to proceed, a passport will need to be acquired for the animal from either Weatherbys Ireland (thoroughbreds), the Irish Horse Board or the relevant breed society. If the owner agrees to do this, the veterinary surgeon should scan the horse to exclude the presence of a microchip and proceed to mark and microchip the horse/foal. Please ensure that the correct microchip is used, i.e. that it was issued by either Weatherbys Ireland (thoroughbreds) or the Irish Horse Board (all other horses). The original markings document should be given to the owner for application to the Passport Issuing Authority (PIA). A copy of this form along with a completed form as outlined in Addendum 1 which should include the number of the microchip, should be sent by the veterinary surgeon to either Weatherbys Ireland or the Irish Horse Board. The Horse Board will pass this on to the relevant breed society. When issuing all such passports the PIA will mark them as not intended for human consumption. Advise the owners that they must endorse this on Section A of the passport. (b) Passport Lost for a Horse Proceed as in (a) above. However, if the horse is already microchipped, this number should be recorded on the new marking form and the horse should not receive an additional microchip. The replacement passport issued in such a case will be marked by the PIA as not intended for human consumption. Advise the owners that they must endorse this on Section A of the passport. (c) Passport Exists but Not Available Where possible the owner should be requested to obtain the passport before treatment is administered. If this is not possible in an emergency situation, appropriate treatment may be administered, but the owner must sign a declaration of intention to endorse the passport for exclusion of that animal from the food chain. The original of this declaration should be given to the owner along with full details of all medicines administered. The veterinary surgeon should scan the horse for the presence of a microchip and, where present, record that number on the declaration. One

4 copy of the declaration should be retained by the veterinary surgeon, one for the owner and the DVO should be notified accordingly. 6. Horses with Passports issued Prior to 2000 Many passports for these horses will not have appropriate sections for signing with regard to intention for slaughter or otherwise. The owner should return the passport to the PIA for insertion of the appropriate section along with the completed form at addendum 1. However, the veterinary surgeon, if using drugs outside Annexes I, II or III should stamp (see Addendum 2) the passport or ID picture as not intended for human consumption and sign the relevant section along with the owner/agent. 7. At the Slaughterhouse At present, no horse can be presented for slaughter for human consumption unless it is accompanied by a passport. With effect from 1 January 2005, a horse being presented for slaughter for human consumption must be accompanied by a passport that was issued at least 6 months previously and for which no other passport has been issued. 9. Responsibilities of Horse Owners and Veterinary Practitioners It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the owner of a horse intended for human consumption to present a residue-free animal at the slaughterhouse. However, a veterinary surgeon is required to notify the owner of the appropriate withdrawal time of medications when administered, prescribed or dispensed. It is also the veterinary surgeon s duty to follow this Code of Practice when administering, prescribing or dispensing medicines to horses. Information Note The primary purpose of the original Commission Decision was to allow horses going for slaughter for human consumption to be identified and their medication history checked to ensure that it conformed to the relevant EU legislation on maximum residue limits of veterinary medicinal products (Regulation 2377/90). In addition to safeguarding human health, the regulation had the potential great impact on the health of horses by regularising the treatment of non-food producing horses (the majority) with veterinary products vital to equine practitioners and horses but which might otherwise have been banned. It is vital, therefore, for the continued use of such medicines that the Regulations referred to in this Code of Practice are adhered to at all times.

5 Addendum I Identification of Equines Please associate this form with Code of Practice on the enforcement of S.I. 399 of You should also ensure that you have a supply of the relevant equine microchips from either of the following stud books. When the attached form is completed in full, send one copy to either of the agencies listed below, give one copy to the owner and keep one copy for your own practice. The Irish Horse Board Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare Tel: OR Weatherbys Ireland Tara Court, Dublin Road, Naas, Co. Kildare Tel:

6 HORSE: MICROCHIP NO: OWNER NAME: OWNER ADDRESS: Please tick the appropriate statement A passport never issued for this horse:. A passport issued for this horse but is not available:. A passport issued for this horse but is lost:. A passport issued for this horse prior to 2000:.. I understand that my horse/foal has been treated with medications that do not have a specific marketing authorisation for horses. For this reason, I understand that it is my responsibility that this horse will not enter the human food chain (i.e. go for slaughter). I will ensure that the passport is signed in the appropriate section to permanently exclude this horse from the food chain. Signed: Date: Owner / Agent (delete as appropriate) I am entitled to sign this document on behalf of the owner of the horse / foal and will ensure that he/she personally reviews a signed copy of this document. Signed: Date:

7 Addendum II Sample stamp: This horse is not intended for human consumption Signed: (Owner) (Veterinary Surgeon) Date:

8 Addendum III 1. Passport Presented. 2. Food Producing. Non-food Producing. Only Annexes I, II or III. OR Only drugs on positive List (not published yet) with a 6 month mandatory withdrawal period. No Recording in passport necessary. No passport Presented. Only treat Annexes I, II or III. OR In emergency If treated with other medications. No passport for horse. Passport Lost. Passport for horse exists but unavailable for inspection. ID Markings performed & horse microchipped. Give original markings form to owner for application for passport. Send photocopy to Weatherbys or Irish Horse Board. Notify DVO of name & address of owner, and details of horse. As for no passport, but notify issuing authority & DVO of loss of Passport. Owner must sign form acknowledging responsibility to sign passport excluding horse from food chain and vet should record microchipping number or insert a microchip if not present. Notify DVO. 3. No Medication Insert in Passport Only treat Annex I, II or III drug Or Stamp passport in ID page as not intended for human consumption.

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