(1) General. The official veterinarian shall:

1. (a) be employed by the Commission;
2. (b) be a graduate veterinarian and be licensed to practice in this jurisdiction;
3. (c) be qualified to objectively and competently provide the regulatory duties described in 205 CMR 4.48;
4. (d) refuse employment or payment, directly or indirectly, from any horse owner or trainer of a horse racing or intending to race in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts while employed as the official veterinarian for the commission;
5. (e) refrain from directly treating or prescribing for any horse under his or her jurisdiction except in cases of emergency, accident or injury;
6. (f) have no employment history or business relationship prior to employment as the official veterinarian that could constitute a conflict of interest or impede in the performance of official duties.

(2) Responsibilities. The official veterinarian shall:

1. (a) recommend to the stewards any horse deemed unsafe to be raced, or a horse that it would be inhumane to allow to race;
2. (b) inspect any horse when there is a question as to the physical condition of such horse independent of the horse's entry status;
3. (c) recommend to the stewards the scratching of any horse that is, in the opinion of the official veterinarian, injured, ill, or otherwise unable to compete due to a medical or health-related condition;
4. (d) provide emergency medical care to horses injured racing and effect case transfer to the practicing veterinarian;
5. (e) be authorized to humanely destroy any horse deemed to be so seriously injured that it is in the best interests of the horse to so act; and
6. (f) report to the Commission the names of all horses humanely destroyed or which otherwise expire at the meeting and the reasons therefore;
7. (g) maintain all required records of postmortem examinations performed on horses which have died within the jurisdiction of the Commission;
8. (h) maintain the Veterinarian's List of horses ineligible to race;
9. (i) supervise and control the Test Barn;
10. (j) supervise the taking of all specimens for testing according to procedures approved by the Commission;
11. (k) provide proper safeguards in the handling of all laboratory specimens to prevent tampering, confusion, or contamination and assure sample integrity;
12. (l) provide the stewards with a written statement regarding the nature and seriousness of all laboratory reports of prohibited substances in equine samples.
13. (m) have jurisdiction over the practicing licensed veterinarians within the enclosure for the purpose of these rules;
14. (n) review and consult with the applicants and the stewards/Commission regarding Commission license applications of practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians or assistants, vendors of medical supplies and equipment, non-veterinarian health care providers (massage therapists, nutritionists, physical therapists, etc.);
15. (o) cooperate with practicing veterinarians and other regulatory agencies to take measures to control communicable and/or reportable equine diseases;
16. (p) maintain the Furosemide list of horses permitted to receive raceday furosemide; and
17. (q) review Medication Report Forms submitted by practicing veterinarians pursuant to 205 CMR 4.50(3).