SECTION 47.22. General Requirements and Application Procedure

(a) This regulation sets the standards for personnel who perform work in the Certified CWD Authorized Personnel program pursuant to the Texas Agriculture Code, §161.0417. Personnel may collect samples for official CWD testing in Texas as follows:

(1) Effective September 1, 2015, a person, other than an accredited veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Texas, shall be a Certified CWD Postmortem Sample Collector to collect and submit samples for official postmortem CWD testing.

(2) Effective October 15, 2016, an individual shall be a Certified CWD Veterinarian to collect and submit samples for antemortem CWD testing.

(3) To become a Certified CWD Sample Collector or a Certified CWD Veterinarian, a person must meet the requirements and apply for Certified CWD Authorized Personnel status Collector as prescribed in §47.2 of this title (relating to Requirements and Application Procedures).

(4) A person desiring to perform official CWD testing shall participate in a certification program on CWD program requirements and procedures before performing any CWD program functions, including but not limited to review of the disease, proper sample collection techniques, sample preservation and laboratory submission, recordkeeping, and identification of animals.

(b) A Certified CWD Postmortem Sample Collector or Certified CWD Veterinarian shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Comply with §47.4 of this title (relating to Standards for Authorized Personnel);

(2) Comply with §47.5 of this title (relating to Recordkeeping);

(3) Submit CWD samples only to approved laboratories; and

(4) Follow all instructions as prescribed by the commission for collection of samples, including:

(A) collecting the proper samples necessary for CWD detection by an approved laboratory;

(B) labeling of specimen collection containers. The side label of a specimen collection container must include the following information:

(i) date of collection;

(ii) owner name;

(iii) name of the Certified CWD Postmortem Sample Collector or Certified CWD Veterinarian;

(iv) species, age and sex of animal;

(v) type of specimen(s);

(vi) herd ID (if applicable), official animal identification number;

(vii) sample identification number;

(C) packaging specimens to meet Federal transportation guidelines; and

(D) fully and accurately completing the specimen submission form, which includes listing the clinical signs of CWD observed in samples collected from CWD susceptible species:

(i) date of collection;

(ii) owner name, address, and phone number;

(iii) name, address, phone number, and email address for the Certified CWD Postmortem Sample Collector or Certified CWD Veterinarian;

(iv) species, age, and sex of the animal;

(v) type of specimen(s);

(vi) herd ID (if applicable), all animal identification devices with a quarter-sized piece of tissue (ear, hide, etc.) attached to each device; and

(vii) sample identification number.

Source Note: The provisions of this §47.22 adopted to be effective June 30, 2015, 40 TexReg 4209; amended to be effective September 13, 2016, 41 TexReg 7075