SECTION 311.102. Greyhound Owners

(a) General Provisions.

(1) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the owner of a greyhound, as listed on the animal's registration paper, must obtain an owner's license from the Commission. A person may not be licensed as an owner if the person is not the owner of record of a properly registered greyhound that the person intends to race in Texas. The owner must be licensed one hour prior to the post time of the first race of the day in which the owner intends to race the animal.

(2) If the owner is not an individual, each individual who is a director, officer, or partner of the owner or who has an ownership interest in the greyhound of 5.0% or more must be licensed by the Commission.

(3) If the owner is not an individual, the owner must provide to the Commission:

(A) a sworn statement by the chief executive officer of the owner or by one of the partners of the owner that the officer or partner represents the owner and is responsible for the greyhound;

(B) a statement that the owner is authorized by law to do business in Texas; and

(C) a list of the names and addresses of all individuals having an ownership interest in the greyhound.

(4) If the owner is not an individual, the ownership entity must:

(A) designate a representative; or

(B) file an authorized agent form with the Commission and pay the prescribed fee.

(5) If the registered owner of a greyhound is a minor, a financial responsibility form approved by the executive secretary must be signed by the parent or guardian of the owner assuming financial responsibility for the debts incurred for the training and racing of the greyhound.

(b) Change of Ownership.

(1) If the owner of an interest in a greyhound housed on an association's grounds transfers that interest to another person, both parties to the transaction shall give written notice of the transfer to the racing judges officiating for that association. Notice under this section must be submitted to the appropriate officials not later than 24 hours after the agreement to transfer the interest is made.

(2) A licensee of the Commission may not transfer an ownership interest in a greyhound to avoid disqualification of the greyhound.

(c) Emergency License.

(1) If an owner is unable to complete an application for an owner's license because of absence or illness, the licensed trainer desiring to enter a greyhound in a race may apply for an emergency owner's license on behalf of the absent owner.

(2) The trainer applying for an emergency owner's license on behalf of an absent owner must submit a written statement with the license application specifying the reasons the owner is unable to complete the application.

(3) The trainer applying for an emergency owner's license must submit at least the following information: the owner's full name, home or business address, and telephone number. At the time of application, the appropriate licensing fee must be paid to the Commission. Failure to provide all of the foregoing information is grounds for denial of an emergency owner's license.

(4) If an owner submits an incomplete application for an owner's license, the application will remain in pending status until:

(A) the owner submits any additional information required to process the application;

(B) the application expires in accordance with the term of the applied-for license; or

(C) a greyhound is entered in the owner's name or in the name of a multiple owner of which the owner is a member, in which case the pending license will be presumed to be a request for an emergency license.

(5) A license issued under this section expires on the 21st day after the date the emergency owner's license is issued. An owner may obtain only one emergency license per year. An emergency license cannot be issued if the owner failed to complete the prior licensing process.

(d) Restrictions on Racing. An owner may not enter a greyhound or cause a greyhound to be entered in a race at a racetrack if:

(1) the owner knows or can reasonably be expected to know that the greyhound was trained using a live or dead animal or fowl as a lure in this state or out of this state. This paragraph does not apply to the use of a training lure that is made from cured animal hides or pelts and is commercially available to the public;

(2) the owner or trainer is employed by the racetrack association in a management or supervisory position that is capable of affecting the conduct of races or pari-mutuel wagering at the racetrack; or

(3) the owner or trainer is involved in any way with the sale or publication of tip sheets on association grounds.

Source Note: The provisions of this §311.102 adopted to be effective October 21, 1999, 24 TexReg 8973; amended to be effective January 8, 2004, 29 TexReg 378; amended to be effective March 20, 2008, 33 TexReg 2307; amended to be effective March 1, 2013, 38 TexReg 244; amended to be effective May 30, 2013, 38 TexReg 3337; amended to be effective October 19, 2015, 40 TexReg 7219