OAR 875-040-0010: Certification of Euthanasia Technicians

(1) Applicants must first apply as a Certified Euthanasia Technician (CET) Intern in order to obtain the training required for a permanent CET certificate. CET Interns may not act independently but only under the immediate supervision of an Oregon CET or Oregon licensed veterinarian. The intern certificate will expire within one year of issue date and does not renew. (a) The Board may conduct background checks on applicants and certificate holders. Applicants and certificate holders shall be required to provide any police and court records for any arrests and convictions. (b) The applicant must be an employee or a volunteer at a humane society or animal control agency. (c) CET interns must pay an initial certification fee. (2) Upon completion of the requirements below to become a permanent CET, the intern may apply for a permanent certificate. (3) In order for a person to become a permanent CET, an application must include the following: (a) Documented evidence of completion of either requirement in (4) or evidence that applicant is exempt from those requirements as described in (5), and; (b) Submission of an evaluation verification form completed within the previous 12 months attesting that the applicant exhibits proficiency to perform euthanasia of domestic pets and other animals when observed by an Oregon licensed veterinarian within their organization while holding a valid CET intern certificate. The evaluation must be performed after completion of the requirements (4) or (5) of this rule. (c) The required documentation may be submitted by the intern, the supervising veterinarian, or the agency the CET intern certificate holder is an employee of, or volunteers with. (d) Applicants to become a permanent CET must pay a certification fee. (4) Unless exempt under (5), applicants to be a permanent CET must complete one of the following requirements to satisfy the requirement in (3)(a): (a) 15 hours of documented instruction, observation, and hands-on euthanasia training done with an Oregon licensed DVM or Oregon CET within the past 12 months; or (b) Completion of an OVMEB approved euthanasia course containing the following within the past 5 years. (A) 1 hour of Evidence-based euthanasia practices including the euthanasia process, patient selection, confirming correct patient for euthanasia, and record keeping practices. (B) 1 hour of Selection of and handling of syringes, needles and other medical equipment, and anatomical landmarks for injection by SQ and IM routes (C) 2 hours of Humane animal handling and restraint. (D) 1 hour of Humane euthanasia space and equipment (E) 2 hours of Pre-euthanasia drugs, including levels of consciousness, recordkeeping, oversight of drug, dosing, decision making, and routes of administration. (F) 1 hour of Sodium Pentobarbital including formulations, controlled drug status, pharmacology, dosing and labeled uses. (G) 1 hour of Appropriate routes of Sodium Pentobarbital including IV, IP, and IC. With emphasis on dosing, levels of consciousness in the patient, and appropriate level of consciousness for IC administration. (H) 1 hour of Verifying death and body disposal practices. (I) 1 hour of Human Safety including OSHA regulations, injury prevention, medical waste disposal, sanitation, and PPE. (J) 2 hours of Controlled Drug Logs and Federal LAWs, State Laws, Medical record keeping, Drug logs, drug log reconciliation, DEA, and veterinary oversight. (K) 1 hour of Compassion Fatigue and Stress (L) 1 hour of Owner-Intended Euthanasia practices and other species euthanasia. (5) An applicant to be a permanent CET is exempt from the training requirements in (4) if: (a) The applicant is: (i) a previously certified Oregon CET outside the 12-month window of reinstatement, (ii) a CET licensed in another state or territory of the United States, or (iii) an Oregon licensed CVT; and (b) Successfully passes a 30-question test provided by the OVMEB on the first attempt. (c) The applicant must still obtain an intern CET certificate and satisfy the requirements of (3)(b). (6) Upon separation from an organization, a CET will not euthanize animals until the person is employed by or is a volunteer at another approved agency, completed specific training in association with that agency, and the CET has notified the Board and is issued a new certificate. (a) Certificates are valid only for the agency at which the person is currently working. (b) The CET will notify the Board within 10 days of their separation from their organization. (7) If a CET is reemployed or volunteers within 12 months of holding a CET license, the CET may apply to the Board for reactivation of their certification. After a 12-month lapse, the person must become recertified as both an intern CET and a permanent CET as described above. (8) CET certificate holders will need to be recertified every 5 years in the form of a proficiency assessment done by an Oregon licensed veterinarian and submitted to the Board within 90 days of the CET certificate renewal. A failure to provide the proficiency assessment by the 90th day after renewal may result in revocation of the CET certificate. (9) All CET certificates expire on October 31st of each renewal cycle. (10) Certificate renewal fee shall be paid at each renewal. (11) Annual verification of employment or volunteer status must come directly from the organization the CET is employed or volunteers with. (12) Failure to renew or provide verification of employment or volunteer status will result in a lapse and euthanasia duties may not be conducted until the certificate is reinstated. (13) The Board may suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline a CET Intern or permanent CET certificate holder for unprofessional conduct or non-compliance with applicable Board statutes and rules.